Clare Daly (Dublin North, Socialist Party)

I am glad the Minister is to visit the troops in Lebanon, although I am not sure of the timescale for the visit. The purpose of the question was to make the point that, given that the Minister would be in the region, it would it be an ideal opportunity to lead from the front and extend solidarity with the people of Gaza by attempting to incorporate a visit there? I would like the Minister to comment on this point. Earlier in the year a vessel on which Irish citizens were travelling was sabotaged by Israel in attempting to bring aid to Gaza. It remains the case that 66% of the people in Gaza are food insecure, that 80% rely on foreign aid and that 300,000 people are living on less than $1 a day. These figures have probably worsened dramatically since the start of the blockade of Gaza. Does the Minister not consider that in his role as Head of State of the Defence Forces he should use the opportunity presented by the visit to the region to attempt to make a visit to Gaza to extend solidarity? Will he respond specifically to this part of the question?

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