Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

It is a fair question. Deputy Eamon Ryan will receive a copy of my written answer but I wish to take this opportunity to respond to him directly.

I have spent a good deal of time on this issue since moving into this brief. It is something I am personally interested in. I have been to Israel and Palestine twice in the space of less than six months. I have met the Israeli Prime Minister three times and I have met Palestinian leaders more frequently than that. As recently as last week, I met President Abbas in Brussels. We have been speaking directly to the US of its ambitions for a new peace initiative. We have tried to make clear that the EU as a whole, including Ireland, needs to see certain things in that new initiative if we are going to be able to support it.

There is considerable political dialogue and engagement. I absolutely accept that when someone is looking from the outside in, it looks like this is going backwards rather than forwards. The decision in respect of the recognition of Jerusalem before Christmas has made it far more difficult and complicated. Palestinians have responded negatively to the move, understandably so, as have people from many other countries throughout the Arab world and elsewhere, including the European Union.

I sense Deputy Eamon Ryan is asking whether we should change our focus now from political engagement with all sides to some sort of protest position and a more aggressive approach. I do not think now is the right time to do that. I have explained to all parties why that is the case. Now is a time for politicians and governments to undertake tough talking in meetings as opposed to isolating themselves by gestures. Such gestures may be good from a solidarity perspective, but I am unsure whether they would advance the political process. Ultimately, that is what we need. If we are clearly getting nowhere with dialogue, obviously we will have to review that in a few months' time.

See this speech in context