Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

-----allowing the Palestinian Authority to take over Gaza with international support. That would then lead to talks not just on a two-state solution but on wider mutual security for the region. If we are serious about stopping this conflict and ending this 75-year cycle of violence and terrorism, that has to be our priority. However, we will of course take our role under the various international conventions seriously. The Attorney General will be in the Hague in person on 22 February to give Ireland's intervention regarding an ICJ case on the occupation of Palestine. We will consider South Africa's case when it is lodged, which it has not yet been. That is exactly the approach we took in respect of the Russia-Ukraine case.

I have taken an interest in the EU directive on violence against women. I spoke about it to Frances Fitzgerald, who is the rapporteur, and the Minister, Deputy McEntee. Ireland believes the definition of rape should be based on consent and not on force. Other countries have different views on that. We want to make sure anything agreed does not water down our own laws in any way because it is about consent and not force. There is now a risk that there will not be an EU directive at all because it has to get through in the next couple of weeks. The most important thing is that we get the directive through. I am a great believer in incremental progress. We might not get everything we want in it, but if we can get our first EU directive on this issue passed and through, we can then build on it into the future.

On the US Administration, I shared my views with the US ambassador and other members of the Administration on the situation in the Middle East. We have had the chance to meet casually at international meetings in the past couple of weeks. I look forward to having the opportunity to discuss the issue with President Biden in March should I be invited to attend the White House, which I have not been yet.

See this speech in context