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

As I said, we were due to go to the area last week but that was not possible. Meeting people face to face is far more effective. On the broader question, we do not sit idly by. There are very real limitations in terms of impact and effectiveness to what a country like Ireland can do on its own.

We were not idle on this in respect of our position on the Security Council. That was reflected by the UN Secretary General. At a European Union level, Josep Borrell and others would not view Ireland as a country that stands idly by in respect of all of this. We are not in any way colluding but are simply putting pressure on the Israeli Government that if we with other European countries are funding infrastructure in the West Bank and it is destroyed or confiscated, we believe compensation must be forthcoming and there must be a cost. It is just one other further element of endeavouring to keep pressure on the Israeli Government with regard to recklessly attacking infrastructure which European Union member states have paid for, and this is something that has been going on for years. People are now taking a stand, as are other member states, and saying that a school cannot be destroyed without people being held to account in some shape or form. Financial is one form of accountability but it is not colluding in any shape or form and I do not think that is a fair perspective to put on it.

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