Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 32, 33, 64, 75, 88, 384 and 397, together.

I reported to the House on 1 June 2010 on my reaction to the events of 31 May 2010 involving the killing of nine Turkish citizens on board the MV Mavi Marmara. This vessel was part of an international flotilla heading for Gaza. The Government at its meeting that morning condemned the killings and expressed its condolences to the Turkish Government. I conveyed my condemnation of these events to the ambassador of Israel when I called him in to my Department on 31 May, which I then reported in detail to the Dáil.

In the days following, we remained in close contact with the Israeli authorities both through the Israeli embassy to Ireland and our own embassy in Tel Aviv. Our priority concerns at that point were consular access to the Irish citizens detained from the flotilla, their immediate and unconditional release and also the safety of the further group of Irish citizens on the MV Rachel Corrie, which was then still approaching Gaza.

The MVRachel Corrie was intercepted on 5 June and taken into the Israeli port of Ashdod. On this occasion, thankfully, there was no violence. The detainees from the flotilla were all released and deported. I had the opportunity to meet several of them on their return and hear their account of events. I was impressed by their sincerity and the absolute commitment to peaceful expression of their views on the Gaza blockade.

I have called for a credible international investigation of Israel's unacceptable interception in international waters of a humanitarian aid convoy, an operation which resulted in nine deaths. I fully support the UN Secretary General's proposal for an international investigation which, I believe, has the best chance of gaining international acceptance. It is the best proposal on the table. I hope it will be pursued and that pressure to withdraw it will be resisted.

There are several outstanding issues which the Government is pursuing or where we are providing assistance to those involved with the Gaza flotilla. The UN has agreed terms with Israel for the carriage into Gaza of most of the cargo from the initial group of boats seized. Some of that cargo has already been moved into Gaza and distributed. It is hoped that a similar agreement can be reached for the cargo of the MV Rachel Corrie, although this has not been finalised yet. We are also awaiting the return of some or all of the personal effects of the Irish citizens detained. We will be pursuing further the allegations of ill treatment of some of those detained.

The release of the ships themselves is likely to be a longer term issue, particularly if, as seems likely, there are further such sailings in the coming weeks. I have stated clearly, however, that I consider that the ships should be returned to their owners.

The background to all these events is the blockade of Gaza, which I have consistently opposed and condemned over a long period. My Department is in regular contact with the United Nations Relief and Works Agency about the situation on the ground, and I have often drawn attention to the urgent need to allow reconstruction materials into the territory.

In the aftermath of the tragic events of 31 May, there has at last emerged a general consensus that the blockade cannot go on as it has done. Under pressure from the international community, especially the UN, the United States and the Quartet representative Tony Blair, Israel has agreed to some easing of the restrictions on Gaza, while retaining the right to inspect goods entering the territory. The list of excluded items was published yesterday; in general, restrictions on all purely civilian goods have been removed. However, the new Israeli provisions allow only for supervised transfer of building and reconstruction materials to the UN for use on agreed Palestinian Authority-approved work, including infrastructure and repair of housing. I continue to argue strongly that there should be no restrictions on construction materials required for the building or repair of schools, homes or hospitals. We will be monitoring closely how this works in practice, as well as the practical impact of these measures on the lives of the people of Gaza.

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