Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Deputy Seán Crowe mentioned Sinn Féin's Private Members' motion of 10 December 2014 which called on the Government to officially recognise the state of Palestine. It was passed unopposed by the House. Not one Member of the Oireachtas - a similar motion was passed by the Seanad - voted against either motion, yet the Government has refused to act on a motion passed by both Houses of the Oireachtas. As I said at the time, while some people were spinning in saying the motion was non-binding, I do not see how a Government could not support it and its effects in the future. It is not only a challenge to us, as Opposition Members, but also a challenge to the Government to live up to what is contained in it. Sadly, the Government has not done so and we are back again on the eve of the end of the Government, having seen no movement, despite the fact that it is over one year since the motion was passed. In my speech at the time I also mentioned that only down the road in the Mansion House, nearly 100 years ago, An Chéad Dáil met. The Irish State was founded that morning and it called on all free nations of the world to recognise it. The Palestinian people in their call to this Parliament and others around the world are echoing the call made by the Irish people in An Chéad Dáil on 21 January 1919. It is a very simple step which could be taken today. I hope the Minister of State will do this in his respone, to officially recognise the state of Palestine and send a message to these beleaguered people.

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