Michael Colreavy (Sligo-North Leitrim, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I was just beginning to feel good about the Government accepting the motion when I began to hear rumours that Ireland had been classified in a UN report as a country that facilitated torture by the CIA. If these reports are confirmed, it will bring great shame on the people of this nation.

In particular, it will bring great shame on the Governments which permitted the facilitation of this torture. I am not saying these reports are true, but if they are true we will have done so much damage to the credibility of this nation. I would like the Minister of State to check into this as a matter of some urgency.

This nation has always prided itself on being a defender of human rights and anti-imperialism worldwide. We have a proud history of sending peacekeeping troops into some very hostile territories and they have served with distinction. The men and women of our Defence Forces have served in areas such as the Congo and Lebanon. We have also played a role at the UN table throughout the history of the State. Notable occasions when the State made its voice heard include during the Algerian war of independence, when Ireland rightly condemned French atrocities on the international stage.

Today we have been given and have taken the opportunity to make our stamp as legislators on the world stage. We may come from towns and villages like Manorhamilton, Tralee and Youghal, but this moment allows us to send a message to the world that Ireland stands with the people of Palestine. The oppression of the Palestinian people for decades has been a dark stain on world leaders, particularly the many Western countries that have allowed it to occur. It is past time for the House to make this gesture and right this wrong.

When a vote was taken at the UN Human Rights Council on condemning war crimes committed during Israel's most recent onslaught on Gaza, the Irish Government abstained. We had a long debate earlier on whether the Government was in touch with the Irish people. The abstention on this vote was miles from where the vast majority of Irish people stand on this issue. The Government was not feeling the pulse of the Irish nation when this abstention was agreed. It was a terrible blight on the good name and reputation Ireland has in the international community. On 30 October Sweden voted to recognise the state of Palestine and became the 135th country to do so. The UN has 193 member countries, so by not recognising Palestine Ireland is indeed in the minority.

We should not fool ourselves into believing a vote in the Chamber will be a solution to the Israel-Palestine conflict. It will not. A serious peace process must be embarked upon to bring a true and lasting settlement to the region. However, recognising the state of Palestine will aid in this process. The Palestinians should be viewed as equal partners in negotiations. It is also important to note that pre-1967 borders, which the PLO and the Palestinian national assembly recognise, are already mapped out. Ireland has had its own history of occupation and suffering. This institution was founded following a physical struggle for independence and self-determination from Britain. The walls of this institution bear the portraits of those who fought for that independence. If we have learned anything from our own history, it is that the oppressed need justice and liberation no matter where in the world they are. By accepting this motion we will send a clear message to the world that Ireland and the Irish people stand on the side of the oppressed.

See this speech in context