Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)

As Deputies will be aware, I have paid particular attention to the worsening conditions in Gaza, even before the conflict at the beginning of this year. I have stressed the humanitarian needs of the population there, and the urgent necessity to end the blockade and open the border crossings, not only to unrestricted humanitarian aid, but also to reconstruction materials and ordinary commercial traffic.

It has always been my intention to visit Gaza and see the problems there for myself. I also wished to see the impact and effectiveness of the substantial assistance we give to Gaza from Irish Aid, principally through UNRWA, whose vital work is well known to Deputies. My interest in a visit was only strengthened by the disastrous course of events in Gaza over the last year.

It was not possible for practical reasons to include a visit to Gaza in my visit to Israel and the West Bank in July 2008. I sought, accordingly, to make a visit this month which would have included Gaza as well as Israel and the West Bank.

As I reported to the Joint Committee on European Affairs recently, the Israeli authorities refused to allow me permission to cross into Gaza. Fears had been expressed on the Israeli side that a visit to Gaza would serve to legitimise Hamas, irrespective of whether meetings with Hamas representatives took place. I found, and continue to find, this explanation unconvincing.

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