Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour) | Oireachtas source

Deputy Crowe has raised many supplementary issues. With regard to the use of administrative detention, it has always been our view that the use of extraordinary powers should be as minimal as possible, carefully safeguarded and in accordance with international law. I am concerned that detention orders, rather than an extraordinary measure only applied in the most exceptional cases, are being used as part of the broader system of control of Palestinians. I will make a statement on the killing of the young people and I am also concerned about the question of Marwan Barghouti, and that issue has been considered by the joint Oireachtas committee. As the Deputy knows, we have previously supported applications by the Palestinian Authority for representation on international bodies. We tend to look at that on a case by case basis and the Irish Government has always been quite supportive of the Palestinian Authority in that regard.

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