Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I congratulate Senator Black on bringing this Bill forward and educating people around the country on this great justice issue which is far away from home. I congratulate my colleague, Deputy Niall Collins, on introducing the Bill in this House.

As my colleague, Deputy Eugene Murphy, said, the argument put up by the Government is that there are legal, political and practical reasons for opposing the Bill. On the legal reasons, the Government has much greater access to legal advice than we have. It always depends, however, on how one asks the question. In other words, if one asks if such an approach is legal, the reply might be “No”. The other question is much more pertinent when one is in government, namely, how does one legally achieve this political end. I am sure the Minister of State will find a legal way to do what we need to do.

There are times we are told we cannot do this because of Europe. I think it is time we tested some of these rules. If they are as draconian as they are made out to be, then we have a problem. A small country like Ireland with our history should have the ability to stand up for other persecuted people. I see no point in having commemorations of the First Dáil in the Mansion House if it is only commemorating in a dead way something that happened 100 years ago. I see them as reminders of from where we came, what we sought and what we did not get in terms of recognition from other countries at that time, recognition we had to fight hard to get. We should never forget our struggle. We all empathise with the Jewish people in their horrendous sufferings. One would think, however, that would have given them an understanding of the need for generosity and openness.

I have had reliable evidence from colleagues and other people of what is going on in this regard. One interesting point is this Bill deals with the occupied territories. If the cap does not fit, do not wear it. Does anybody dispute these are occupied territories in Palestine and that Palestinian lands have been occupied? That in itself is wrong. The treatment meted out is doubly wrong. It is time we took a stand as a nation. If we get a rap on the knuckles after four or five years by Europe, so be it.

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