Garret Ahearn (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

It is hard for me to see that. It is really a group of lawyers coming together to ask how they can get around it. However, I know what Mr. Smyth is saying.

In his opening contribution, Mr. Keown mentioned a number of times that the Tánaiste was working with his EU colleagues to try to get agreement. A group of Palestinian officials were before the committee a number of weeks ago. They strongly focused on two priorities, which were the recognition of Palestine as a state and the EU association agreement. How are those discussions going? I was in Strasbourg for the Council of Europe last week and it is sometimes depressing listening to some member states speak. They are so pro-Israel, it is shocking. How are those powers of persuasion going at the moment?