Ms Cait Moran:

I thank members for their questions. I will add to what my colleague, Mr. McLaughlin has said. As we set out, the programme operates in a political context, both from a Department of Foreign Affairs perspective and from the point of view of our embassy in Tel Aviv and representative office in Ramallah. We support the programme through political engagement, including in the problem areas when those issues arise and in terms of the difficulties that can arise in that respect.

Our representative office in Ramallah is active on the ground, as is our ambassador in Tel Aviv, in making representations to the Israeli authorities on the difficulties which arise in respect of settlements and demolitions and the threat of eviction. Sometimes that presence is important in terms of the types of visits which our representatives in Ramallah have done in Jerusalem around the Sheikh Jarrah and Silwan neighbourhoods spoken about previously. That demonstration, that public advocacy and that voice are important and this is something we do together with the EU and other like-minded partners.

On the actions available to the Department, as our colleagues from the West Bank Protection Consortium with whom the committee discussed the matter earlier will have pointed out, we act as a consortium with the West Bank Protection Consortium. We act as a collective and it is important we look at those actions collectively, as a group. That is the route we take.

Ireland also engages strongly at EU level, with the various mechanisms of the EU, in looking at these issues and their impact, so it is active engagement. As I mentioned, Ireland also engages with the United Nations in terms of the kinds of statements it makes at the United Nations in highlighting what we see as the violation of international law and humanitarian law in respect of issues around settlements and demolitions and threatened evictions.

On Deputy Brady's question on annexation, on which Senator Craughwell also raised a point, the Minister clearly set out the position on that issue yesterday evening in the Seanad. It is a clear position. These settlements are illegal under international law and we operate on that basis and do everything we can do in that respect. Our position is based on international law, on Israel's obligations as an occupying power under the Fourth Geneva Convention and on the resolutions of the Security Council. That goes to the point discussed earlier in terms of the humanitarian imperative on Ireland to provide assistance in Area C, under difficult circumstances. We are driven by that issue of responsibilities which we see being failed by an occupying power and the obligation on donors to step up and provide humanitarian assistance on that.

On the question posed on recognition, I regard that as a political issue and the Minister has set out the Government's position on that on a number of occasions, including last night in the Seanad.

On the point asked on the International Criminal Court, Ireland's approach to that and to the conflict is based on international law and parameters. We are a party to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court and we are a firm supporter of the work and role of the court.

On the investigation of the situation in Palestine, Ireland is committed to preserving the independence and the impartiality of the court and its judicial processes, so we do not comment on ongoing legal processes. However, we support the impartial and independent role the court plays. It plays an important role.

Deputy Clarke asked what accountability and human rights looked like. I thank her for the question. I come back to the point on international law and respect for international conventions. That is always Ireland's starting point. As a small state, we depend on those mechanisms ourselves and that is our starting point across the board. Deputy Clarke will have seen that at the March session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva, Ireland played an active role in the Human Rights Council, including through the various agenda items relating to the occupied Palestinian territory, OPT, and we work closely with EU partners on the ground there.

We look at the role of civil society as a partner on human rights and accountability and, as Mr. McLaughlin mentioned, there are funding mechanisms within the Irish Aid programme in Palestine to support the role of civil society. As we have concerns about the pressure put on civil society and civil society space, we both fund civil society and advocate for the importance of its role. We do that on the ground in the OPT and Israel and we do it in Geneva, New York and Brussels. That is extremely important to us and they are an extremely important partner in terms of accountability, so both the multilateral framework and the partnership with civil society are important to us in that respect.

On the question about what a viable Palestinian state would look like, and I thank the Deputy for that, I set out the Ireland vision at the start, which is very much based on internationally agreed parameters and on the 1967 borders with Jerusalem as the capital of both states. The key issue and the reason the committee is looking at this report is that this is under threat. The action of the Israeli Government in expanding settlements and undertaking demolitions puts that under threat. For Ireland, we are supportive of a negotiated two-state solution. That means both parties coming to the table and negotiating, with the support of the international community. The Minister is on record for expressing his frustration at the lack of process and political engagement on that. Ireland has done everything in its power to try to advance that engagement both through the EU, and the EU is a member of the international quartet, and more broadly. We have been very frustrated on that. When one looks at the example of our peace process, which the Minister draws on very much in his engagement, it is very frustrating to see the lack of progress there. However, that does not mean that Ireland does not continue to engage in that and to support that process, including through funding for organisations which contribute to the debate on that and also take lessons from the peace process on the island of Ireland and contribute at that level as well. The fundamental point, and I hope the Deputy will agree, is the threat to the viability of a future Palestinian state. Obviously, it is undermined when we see settlements and threatened evictions. That is a very valid and important point.

I believe I have answered all the questions. If there is anything else we did not cover, feel free to refer back to us.