Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance) | Oireachtas source

Earlier, the Taoiseach referred to what he described as “our allies” in NATO. He also mentioned Britain. Of course, we have close connections, huge numbers of English people are here, and they are our neighbours. However, I have to question this thinking because at the moment our so-called "ally", as the Taoiseach described it, has introduced a law that is going to make it illegal for democratic councils in Britain to support the boycott, divestment and sanctions campaign against Israel over its ongoing systematic violation of Palestinian rights, the criminal siege of Gaza, apartheid policies, the illegal annexation of Palestinian territory, and administrative detention. I could go on through the list. It wants to criminalise people engaging in boycott, sanctions and divestment against Israel for those crimes. Should we not raise our voice against that? Should we not question the priorities and ethics of that foreign policy where they jump up and down about illegal occupations, violation and war crimes in Ukraine, but then support a state and try to criminalise people protesting against a state that is doing exactly the same thing to the Palestinians?

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