Seán Crowe (Dublin South West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

As Deputy Kenny said, the murder of Shireen Abu Akleh as she covered an Israeli raid in the West Bank was a serious violation of international law and potentially a war crime. She was clearly identified as a journalist. She was wearing press insignia but she was targeted by sustained sniper fire, as Members have said. The attempt by the Israeli regime to muddy the waters and claim she had been killed by a Palestinian is typical of its refusal to treat the Palestinian people with dignity and respect. The obscene and violent actions of the Israelis at her funeral are only further testimony to this. This is far from the first time that journalists covering the occupation of Palestine, or other conflicts, have been targeted.

The humanitarian crisis in Yemen is one of the worst the world has ever seen due to the war waged by Saudi Arabia and its allies. Journalists in Yemen have been detained to stifle coverage of the war and its fallout. Many reports come from Ukraine of journalists being attacked and denied safe passage. A Dublin-based photojournalist was killed when trying to carry out his job in that country. Journalists such as Shireen Abu Akleh are often the only independent observers on the ground in conflict zones besides NGO volunteers. In the absence of the ability to report without fear or favour, the valuable insight into conflict, abuses and dire humanitarian conditions is hidden from us and we are forced to rely on the often biased reports of the belligerents in the conflict. According to the UN Secretary General, "The fundamental role of journalists in ensuring access to reliable information is essential to achieving durable peace, sustainable development and human rights."

Journalism can be a dangerous profession, not just in far-off conflict zones but even in their home countries. Veronica Guerin, Martin O'Hagan and Lyra McKee all lost their lives in Ireland. The safety of journalists is not an abstract concept but a core principle of international law and it should be respected as such. Campaigns of disinformation have never been as effective or as dangerous as in the modern world. Social media has left us more vulnerable to an information war than ever before. Our best defence is a free press and that is what we should work towards.

See this speech in context