Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome our guests and thank them for coming along to speak to us. I have a question regarding the debate taking place in the House during Private Members' time in which, apparently, there is unanimous willingness to assist in a positive way and to try to put international pressure on the various combatants, for want of a better description, and various positions. To what extent does the delegation think that Ireland, as part of the global community, can be a positive influence on the Israelis, Hamas, Fatah and the Palestinian Authority with a view to establishing a forum? Is it possible, at this forum, for these organisations to begin to air their grievances, re-establish the peace process and reach an understanding which is fundamental to anything that happens in the region, of each other's willingness to allow the other to exist?