Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal North East, Sinn Fein)

The report I have seen from the organisation Defence for Children International makes for harrowing reading. It includes pictures of children who were shot and injured by the Israeli defence forces in the region. I thank the Tánaiste's officials at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and in the Irish Embassy to Israel for their assistance in recent days in dealing with the 14 Irish human rights activists. Anytime I rang the officials, they came back quickly with clarification. In addition, they did everything they said they would to make the families aware of the state of play on their loved ones. I must give credit where credit it due and personally thank the officials. However, we have nine more activists to get home; therefore, let us work together to achieve this. We can then deal with the wider issue involved.

See this speech in context