Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire (Cork South Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I will pick up where the Tánaiste finished and share concern at the allegations made against UNRWA staff that they participated in the appalling attacks on 7 October. I echo what has been said in that the role of UNRWA is absolutely crucial. The threats that have been made and followed through on regarding funding by some donors are extremely worrying and are not at all proportionate to a situation where 400,000 people face famine. There have been 25,000 people killed; an enormous proportion of those - up to several thousand - children. At the outset of this, there was a lot of talk about a "humanitarian catastrophe" and that is an appropriate phrase in many ways. Where it does not sit well with me is the fact that humanitarian catastrophes are things we associate with earthquakes and tsunamis and so on. This is slaughter inflicted on a mass scale by the Israeli Government and the Israeli Defense Forces. The outcome at which we are looking goes far beyond the enormous direct slaughter, potential hunger, illness and huge human suffering. It is in that context that the demand for the ceasefire has been made - one such demand made by the Irish Government that I acknowledge and welcome - but has not been heeded by the Israeli Government and against which it is resisting international pressure. It is that context from which this motion comes and it is not seeking division unnecessarily. It is seeking to ensure that whatever mechanisms exist from this small but influential country, particularly in a European context and on this matter, can be used to exert whatever pressure we can. This is one particular avenue that is possible. It is not saying that it is possible to be achieved in the short term to become on the same terms as South Africa or anything like that, but it is a declaration of intent. I believe that can have an impact. It must be restated that there is an urgency to this. There is a huge urgency to this from the people of Gaza and that is why we should not accept the amendment and declare that intent to participate.

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