Maureen O'Sullivan (Dublin Central, Independent) | Oireachtas source

My apologies for missing the start of the meeting but I have just come from the Chamber. The Minister's visit to this committee today has generated an amount of e-mail correspondence. I am sure that I like everybody else got these e-mails from groups. They are entitled to their opinion and to ask us to examine other aspects. One concern is about Irish Aid money, which Deputy Byrne has addressed.

My second question relates to the Minister's decision not to meet any people on the Israeli side or any Israeli groups. My apologies if he has already addressed that point. Did he meet the small Christian population in Gaza?

My other question is in regard to the camps. Some people do not know any other life except living in a camp. Is there any sign of people being moved from camps into villages, towns or other places where there would be more normal living? Did the Minister get any sense from the people he met of a commitment? He spoke about the peace talks and there appears to be some positive moves in that regard but did he get a sense of a strong commitment to the two-state solution or is that slipping further down the agenda? He mentioned one or two groups but are there not more Palestinian and Israeli groups that work together or did he come across any groups actively working together, whether in the areas of health or education?

Many UN resolutions have passed in this regard but it seems they are being completely ignored. What is the position with regard to them? The fact that they were being ignored led to the boycott. Is there any sense that they will be revisited and taken seriously?