Gary Gannon (Dublin Central, Social Democrats) | Oireachtas source

This European Council meeting has the potential to be very significant but I fear it will just go as exactly as the one five weeks ago did. There will be words, expressions of concern, equivocation, and justification of the slaughter and genocide that is happening. The frustration I have, which the Social Democrats would like to express first and foremost, is that it has been three and a half weeks since we had a substantial debate in the Chamber about the types of sanctions that should be placed on the State of Israel for the horrific crusade of genocide it is waging in Gaza and now also in the West Bank.

We have suggested a number of different sanctions. Some were worthy of debate, whereas others were not. The one that stands out for me more than most, given it is one around which we should clearly be able to unify, relates to the EU-Israel Trade Agreement. That is exactly where a human rights position should be advanced because the human rights clauses within the agreement are very clear. We pushed and pushed for the Taoiseach to commit to even exploring the idea of raising the areas where Israel is in direct contravention of those human rights clauses. I thought I saw a flicker of light a couple of weeks ago when the Taoiseach said he would seek legal advice as to how those breaches of human rights clauses could be acted on, but it has been three weeks and that legal advice has not been forthcoming.

Yesterday, in the Dáil, the Taoiseach said in responses to several parliamentarians that he felt as though Opposition parties were somehow blaming the Government or suggesting it could do more, and wrung his hands at that very suggestion. I appreciate that the Irish State has taken a stronger line of rhetoric than most other states - I do not step away from that at all, although the bar has been low - but we could act with greater urgency when we make a commitment to seeking legal advice as to how human rights clauses within trade agreements could be invoked. Three weeks is an incredibly long time for such advice to be forthcoming, and the Taoiseach seems to commit once again to offering words at the European Council meeting and calling for a ceasefire but, clearly, that is no longer where the State of Israel is. It is hell-bent on the destruction of the entirety of Gaza. How else could it justify telling 2.2 million people to move from one area of Gaza to move to the southern part and then just bombing them too, or implementing a grid system and telling people they will receive a text message to tell them which part of the grid system to go to next in order that they will not be slaughtered with their children in tow? It is cruel, it is unjust and the fact it is happening without consequence leaves a blight on all of us.

Those human rights clauses in the EU trade agreements are typically enforced through a mechanism called the suspension of preferences, as outlined within the clauses themselves. It holds that if either party fails to comply with human rights commitments, the EU can make measures such as suspending those preferences, benefits or even the entire agreement. Enforcements may involve consultations, investigations and, ultimately, the imposition of measures if these violations persist. I do not think the Government needs much legal advice beyond that. The Taoiseach will hold, once more, that the State cannot act alone, but I disagree. I am not saying we alone can act on the clauses - I fully appreciate that - but we can be a maverick voice within those positions. If the Taoiseach were to go there and simply argue for them, holding them up as a suggestion and bringing together a coalition of other willing nations in the EU, that would be much more meaningful.

I almost choked when the Taoiseach, when speaking about Ukraine, rightly said:

While providing assistance to Ukraine, Ireland has been to the fore in working to ensure there are consequences for Russia as a result of its illegal invasion of a neighbouring country. This includes endorsement of strong sanctions and engagement on accountability mechanisms across the multilateral system.

I like that Ireland is to the fore in this regard, but saying we have to take a step back when it comes to Palestine is hypocritical at best.

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