Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Changing "do" to "do not".

We want to insert "reiterates its unequivocal condemnation of the brutal terrorist attack by Hamas on Israel on 7th October, 2023". That needs to be said and I think most Irish people would agree with that. Then we ask for the deletion of the words " call on Israel to immediately implement fully" and we say on a textual basis "reiterate its call on Israel to immediately implement fully". It is a textual change. We propose to delete "file a declaration of intention to intervene in this case with the ICJ" from the Sinn Féin motion and put in the words "urgently consider filing a declaration of intervention in this case with the ICJ, based on a legal analysis of the Genocide Convention, the Court's provisional measures order and consultation with other Contracting Parties". Then we propose to delete the words "commence the process of preparing for participation in the [ICJ] case" and we want to include the words "commence the process of preparing for potential participation in the case".

Any reading of this would say 99% of the text tabled by the main Opposition party is accepted by the Government. Those are minor textual changes not amounting to even two lines out of the 56 put forward. In terms of balance and reasonableness, that is acceptance of and agreement with the vast majority of what has been said in the House. We are willing and happy to accept a minimum of 54 lines of the 56-line motion, with some textual changes the Government wants to make.

I ask the people opposite to take on board the fact the Government is, by and large, accepting the motion and to accept our amendments when it comes to the voting block tomorrow evening. If we want several votes on two or three lines of the 56-line motion, so be it, but there is a case for the House to unite behind the Government amendments, which are very close but not exactly as put forward by the main Opposition party.

Ireland has been consistent in our commitment to supporting the Palestinian people through development assistance. Last year, Ireland's total funding to the Palestinian people amounted to €36 million; of that, €20 million was provided in response to the conflict currently engulfing the Gaza Strip. Ireland has already provided more than 50 tonnes of humanitarian supplies, including tents. They were distributed in Gaza earlier this month through our rapid response initiative.

As Minister of State with responsibility for international development, I am well aware of the importance of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency, which is vital to ensuring access to basic services for millions of Palestinian refugees. In the context of the current crisis, the Government stepped up Ireland's contribution to the agency to €18 million. Ireland contributed €6 million in predictable core funding and announced an additional €2 million last June. Following a direct appeal from the agency's Commissioner-General in October, we announced an additional €10 million in funding, which would enable the agency to address the urgent humanitarian needs of people living in the Gaza Strip and West Bank, including East Jerusalem.

In addition and importantly, Ireland's programme includes €3 million in support of the Palestinian Authority for the Ministry of Education. I want to make it absolutely clear Ireland has no plans to suspend funding to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency and will continue to support it strongly throughout 2024. It is right that Commissioner-General Lazzarini has made the decision to immediately terminate the contracts of the agency staff suspected of participating in the reprehensible Hamas-led attacks on Israel on 7 October. As Members are aware, the agency has approximately 13,000 employees in the Gaza Strip. More than 150 have been killed since 7 October. UN workers providing humanitarian support to the population under attack put themselves at huge risk and it would be reckless of Ireland to suspend funding to them in view of the work they continue to do to help the people who need it most.

I note the statement made by the Secretary-General of the United Nations, which appealed to states not to suspend funding to the agency on the basis of the allegation. He stated:

tens of thousands of men and women who work for UNRWA, many in some of the most dangerous situations for humanitarian workers, should not be penalized. The dire needs of the desperate populations they serve must be met.

I think there is general agreement with the general approach of the Government on that issue from various commentators here tonight.

The Tánaiste welcomed the provisional measures announced by the International Court of Justice in the case taken by South Africa under the genocide convention. The provisional measures ordered by the court are binding and Israel must comply with them immediately. They include ordering Israel to ensure the Israeli military does not commit any genocidal actions and to prevent and punish cases of incitement to genocide. Importantly, the measures include that Israel must ensure basic services and humanitarian aid are provided to Gaza. Until now, humanitarian aid has not been reaching people in Gaza at anything close to the level needed.

We are committed to the essential work of the International Court of Justice. We made a significant contribution to facilitating the work of the court. Without those extra contributions from countries like Ireland, it would not be able to do the amount of work the world is calling for it to do. The Irish Government, on behalf of the Irish people, told the court it was doing important work - both the work on its agenda and the extra works - and provided further financial aid to allow it to continue its work. We support it fully in what it is doing but it cannot do it without funding from countries like Ireland and we are proud that is the case. We fully support the ongoing investigation of the prosecutor. The prosecutor asked states to provide the court with the tools it needs to fulfil its work and Ireland responded handsomely in order that it can continue to do its work.

In November, I attended a meeting of development ministers at which I reiterated Ireland's call for an immediate ceasefire. I urged EU partners to step up their funding contributions to organisations helping Palestinian people on the ground and stated our actions must have the ultimate aim of a just and lasting peace for both Israelis and Palestinians based on a two-state solution. We reiterate that here.

Ireland's immediate priority is to continue to work for an immediate ceasefire, the release of hostages and a dramatic increase in the volume of aid reaching the people of Gaza. We will continue to support international law and to work for accountability and justice.

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