Peter Burke (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

First, it is the greatest myth to suggest that we have an opt out because we do not. I will explain this in specific terms. We are working under the 1954 UN Human Rights Charter in the context of our core obligation as a country to provide asylum. The Lisbon treaty is totally separate. Under that treaty, this country has an opt out on justice and home affairs issues or issues of taxation. This means that if a European decision is being taken, Ireland has the option to opt out of that decision under those competencies but it does not in any way negate our international obligations to take in asylum seekers. This is a myth that has been propagated on social media, that Ireland has an opt out but it does not. If we breach our UN obligations, what does that say about us as a country? What does it mean if we breach our human rights obligations, if we are not a compassionate nation, a nation that tries to give shelter to those who need it most, to the most vulnerable in our society? That is the core of being Irish, in my view. As a country, we have sent people right across the globe. When they go to other countries right around the world, Government Ministers are so proud to see so many Irish people and communities working diligently, making their homes in other countries, while being proud to be Irish. We need to be very clear in terms of what Europe can do and where our core responsibility comes from under international agreements.

On Gaza, people were trying to draw comparisons with Ukraine. As I outlined, however, we took time and looked at the evidence. There is a threshold for genocide. What we say here or our opinion on this does not matter. It is the opinion of the court that matters. The court is the arbiter and it will decide. Ireland will do everything it can to ensure that Gaza gets justice and that Israel is held to account. I have said on numerous occasions that what happened in Israel was reprehensible and that the response is totally disproportionate. I absolutely condemn what has happened in Gaza at the hands of Israel. Absolute atrocities are being committed and we have seen that first-hand.

In response to Deputy Howlin, we are working on dialogue with the Arab League. Ireland will be very much to the forefront in that, along with our European colleagues because it is very important, irrespective of what the Prime Minister of Israel has said. Deputy Howlin is quite right to say there are many different strands of opinion within Israel and we have to really work on this. I am very conscious that these Houses have voted to recognise Palestine as an independent state and we have to work towards that. We have to make a move at the right time to bring a critical mass in Europe along with us to try to deliver that.

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