Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

The difficulty and reality, which I think the Tánaiste acknowledged in his earlier remarks, is that Israeli actions in breaching international law, engaging in an apartheid regime and committing war crimes are becoming more blatant and glaring by the day. I think he also acknowledged that the EU, because of the position some of the governments, to their shame, have taken in respect of Israel in particular, will not take defining action or the level of action required to in any way put pressure on Israel to change tack. Therefore, it will be left up to individual states, through independent foreign policy, to take meaningful action. We can look for excuses not to do things all the time, but recognition of the state of Palestine has been supported by the Tánaiste's party in this House. It now needs to be followed up with action by the Tánaiste in his current position in the Government.

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