Mick Barry (Cork North Central, Solidarity) | Oireachtas source

The Tánaiste is saying there would be no sense in boycotting the St. Patrick's Day trip. Let us have a quick look at this argument. The first argument put forward by the Tánaiste relates to why should we boycott when it is clear the US is trying to end the conflict. Clear to whom? Biden has pledged $14.3 billion in military aid to Israel. As of Christmas Day, Israel had unloaded 230 planeloads and 20 shiploads of weapons from the US. The second argument implies that it would make no difference and that we have to engage. Israel would not be able to prosecute its war into next month were it not for the support, political, diplomatic, financial and military, it gets from the US. Ireland should do whatever it can to apply pressure for a change in US policy. This is an election year in the US. All the polls show that the race will be very tight. The Irish are one of the biggest minorities in the US. If the Taoiseach were to pick up the phone to the US President and relay the message that a St. Patrick's Day visit cannot go ahead as long as the US is supporting genocide, would this be a point of pressure, yes or no? Clearly, the answer is "Yes". It should be done.

I am not sure if a case would be in the process of being heard in The Hague were it not for the masses of ordinary black people in South Africa. It is an election year there. I am of the view that the African National Congress, which is in government in South Africa, took this case under pressure from below. The Irish Government needs to come under pressure from below. I congratulate everyone who has taken part in the protests but these need to be stepped up in the weeks ahead. The Government has been very poor on the issue of this court case. Not only has it not fallen in and supported South Africa, but it has also actually criticised the people making the accusations and tried to undermine their case in trying to please the capitalist establishments in the US and the European Union.

The Government is feeling the pressure now. That pressure is showing in this debate. Some of the comments made by the Taoiseach and the Tánaiste about the Attorney General going to The Hague, about the validity of the South African case and so on show that the pressure is building on the Government. It is only going to continue to build. I encourage people to keep the pressure up.

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