Patrick Costello (Dublin South Central, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

In my conversations with members of the department of foreign affairs in Sweden, they told me that they had no problem and faced no restrictions. The department of foreign affairs in Sweden told me it faced no problems in terms of its programmes within Palestine after the recognition. IKEA may have had some furniture returned but that was about it.

If we are not getting leverage from it and there will not be a cost from it, surely this is one small symbolic act we can do to support the Palestinians.

We all stood together in this House to recognise and call out the annexation that is taking place, which is a crime in international law. The Minister has spoken out in the past about the settlements being illegal and in breach of international law.

These criminal enterprises are happening. If a company here was engaged in criminal enterprises, would we allow it to bid for government contracts? Companies that are engaged in criminal enterprise over there are bidding for government contracts here. There is a disconnect there. Surely, we should be saying that anyone involved in a criminal enterprise, whether at domestic level or internationally, should not be getting Government contracts.

I share the frustration of Deputy Boyd Barrett. This is a deeply frustrating and upsetting subject. I am conscious that I am in a very safe, privileged place, whereas Palestinians are living under occupation and, right now, some of them are probably being arrested and their homes raided.

We need to find ways to do more because what we are doing is not enough. The occupation is not just continuing; it is grinding on and down and becoming more entrenched. The lives of Palestinians are being destroyed as a result.

See this speech in context