Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Deputy Brady raised the issue of Palestine, as did a number of Deputies. Deputy Boyd Barrett said that I mentioned Palestine. I did more than mention it. I did not pull any punches in respect of Palestine in my speech, and I laid the blame where it clearly lay. I stated unequivocally the illegal nature of the settlements. I was very clear about it in my speech, as I was in condemning Russia. I am not into whataboutery. I will say if something is wrong in any given location. What is going on in Palestine is wrong. I have said this repeatedly. The Irish Government has said that a two-state solution is the only solution.

I know Deputy Brady's party has had a lot of engagement in America. The party has visited Senator Schumer and others and it has a lot of connections with influential congressmen. I do not know if they have ever raised the Palestinian issue with their American interlocutors, but I think they should. I would be interested to hear what their sense is of the position of the United States in terms of the congressmen and women that they meet.

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