Mick Wallace (Wexford, Independent) | Oireachtas source

The Tánaiste said that Ireland cannot go out on a limb on its own and that it is tied to the EU. European countries sometimes take a separate stand. For example, prior to the latest slow walk to a coup in Venezuela, the Spanish Minister was backing Mr. Maduro and giving him a chance to work things out. In the past few days, the French and the Germans declared that if there are no elections within ten days, they will support Juan Guaidó, which is nonsense. There were elections last year in Venezuela, which because the opposition was not in a position to win, it decided to boycott. Before the votes were counted, countries in the EU were saying that the elections were legitimate. There is no logic to it. I find it heartbreaking that Ireland will not publicly support somebody who has been elected. He may not be brilliant but he was elected. Let us leave this to the people of Venezuela and not interfere. It seems Ireland is going to join the other countries in this regard; likewise, in Yemen. How can we continue to trade with Saudi Arabia in light of the sanctions or boycotts we have in place with other countries? How do we justify this? The Israelis are shooting at will through a fence and the Saudis are starving people to death and we think it is okay to impose sanctions on other countries and not these countries? Will the Tánaiste explain that?

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