Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

When the Tánaiste states that this does not breach Irish neutrality, he means the limits of that are we will not join NATO and we will not join a common defence pact. Outside of that, anything is possible within the confines of neutrality. There is scope for a much wider debate but I want to talk about the situation in the Middle East.

I thank the Tánaiste and Government for many of the positive leadership roles that they have played, and particularly our team in the United Nations, for vocalising the position of the Irish people. The critique that I and others have had is the need to move beyond vocalising to action. The first question is obviously one of the clearest. I would consider it to be the basic action. It is official recognition of the state of Palestine. Wednesday next, 21 May, has been widely cited as the day that Ireland and other states will formally recognise the state of Palestine. Is that going to happen?