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

Please listen. Much is being done. Ireland is raising its voice internationally but pretending that Ireland on its own can change the course of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is not being realistic. The way for us to really change things on the ground is to work and use our influence within the UN Security Council and the EU, which is exactly what we are doing, rather than putting ourselves out on a limb and taking a position that we cannot build consensus around and, therefore, not actually impacting on the lives of people on the ground, which is ultimately what I am about and what this Government is about. I hope it is what this Parliament is about as well.

That is why tonight we are talking to other like-minded countries on the UN Security Council about trying to build consensus around clear actions and statements at a Security Council level. That is why I raised the issue yesterday at the Foreign Affairs Council meeting. Unfortunately, the situation on the ground has deteriorated significantly since then but this will remain a big priority for the Government and for my Department.

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