Holly Cairns (Cork South West, Social Democrats) | Oireachtas source

When I asked the Taoiseach what the Government is doing, he said it is using its voice, which I recognise. The Irish voice has been important and an outlier in the European and western context, but that just illustrates how low the bar is. We are now asking for more than using our voice by taking actions. I recognise what the Taoiseach is saying about not being able to go out too far on a limb. What we are saying, if the Taoiseach would listen, is that some of these calls will not do that. At this point, I do not know what else it would take because 160 children are dying a day and 180 pregnant women are giving birth in Gaza where the piles of bodies are getting bigger and bigger outside hospitals. I do not know what else could justify taking a stronger position or taking action to say that we do not tolerate this. There are multiple solutions and things the Government could do. It could push for the Israel-EU trade deal to be suspended, implement the Illegal Israeli Settlements Divestment Bill 2023 and make a referral to the International Criminal Court. Not all of those things would put one so far out that one would not be taken seriously, and the Taoiseach knows that.

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