Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)

I tabled three separate questions and timing has become an issue. I asked the Taoiseach his plans for substantial bilateral meetings. Given the debt issue and the priority given to it by the Taoiseach, it is extraordinary and incredible that he has yet to have a substantial bilateral meeting with a eurozone leader. The programme he outlined in his reply is scant in terms of any substantive bilateral meetings with eurozone leaders on this issue. For the life of me I cannot understand why he will not meet President Sarkozy on the issue. Will he explain why there have not been any major domestic initiatives on his part despite his commitment? There clearly have not been any and there are none in train because he is not meeting leaders in substantive bilateral meetings.

On my question on the European Central bank, before Mario Draghi was named ECB president he specifically and forcefully rejected Ireland's wish to burn more bank bondholders. Did the Taoiseach raise this issue before he agreed to his appointment? If not, why not? He mentioned that he made a number of interventions at the Council last week but said nothing about the ECB. Does he accept that it needs to be reformed? If he does, why did he not table a question on the matter at a summit meeting?

Very serious questions need to be asked about Gaza and what happened to the MV Saoirse. Representatives of the Government should meet the crew members to get a first-hand account of what transpired. I have spoken to them. The most important point is that the Greek and Cypriot Governments offered routes into Gaza last year and were rejected. There is a principal political objection to public aid and the impact it is having on the peace situation and so on.

The Government has been lacking in terms of upholding fundamental rights of our citizens to protest, object and highlight the injustice of the blockade in the context of the suffering of the people of Gaza. It should be done in a peaceful way which does not provoke violence. We should not allow ourselves to be sucked into a debate in which it is argued that somebody who travels with a flotilla is somehow looking for trouble. That nuance is creeping into the debate. We must uphold the right of people to protest and highlight issues that are fundamentally wrong. That is what democracy is about. We must ensure their safety in protesting, as long as it a peaceful protest.

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