Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Disinformation is getting as much attention as cyberattacks. When the war broke out in Ukraine, the big clarion call across EU member states was disinformation. People knew Russia would be sponsoring a whole range of disinformation attacks in terms of the war itself and the broader picture and, if you like, the campaign to persuade the global south as to who is right and who is wrong in respect of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. It is ongoing; the Deputy is correct. It is as important, and it is being taken as seriously by the EU authorities and member states working together on this. We have to do so, too, domestically. Our own legislation that we recently brought through the Houses in respect of the electoral commission in terms of the potential of disinformation to affect our own elections, for example, reflects that. There were assertions in respect of the Brexit vote. There are, therefore, actors everywhere.

I appreciate Senator Wilson’s tribute to our team, which I 100% endorse and to which I spoke earlier. Deputy Clarke commented on Palestine. With regard to the Palestinian situation, Ireland has genuinely been very strong on the issue. We are probably one of the more consistent countries within the European Union in terms of our position, not just in respect of a two-State solution but in terms of supports via the United Nations Relief and Works Agency, UNRWA, and those we give to human rights organisations on the ground in Palestine. We raise this consistently at international fora and work with like-minded EU states to see whether we can strengthen the relationship between the Palestinian authority and the European Union. This is a track we are going on now to see whether we can ultimately lead to proper sustained agreement between the European Union and the Palestinian authority. At this stage, it is not yet a full association agreement but an engagement that would lead to something at that level and of that quality. There is much work to be done here. Really, it is about how we deploy the options we have to try to continue to create a profile there and also stay relevant on this issue internationally.