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

I ask the Tánaiste to stop accusing every Opposition Member who asks a question on this issue or urges him to take action on this issue of being somehow disingenuous, and to accept that every one of us has a bona fide rationale for raising these matters. This rationale is that we want to see, in the first instance, an immediate ceasefire and, in the second instance, lasting peace.

Of the 193 members of the United Nations, 139 recognise the state of Palestine. This is not somehow about showing great initiative. It is about the rest of the world catching up with what international law clearly states. I welcome any peace initiative. I welcome Ireland's engagement on those peace initiatives. Palestinian organisations and political representatives, including the representatives of the Palestinian Authority, say to us that a meaningful thing Ireland could do today is to set a date on which it will recognise the state of Palestine and then encourage and put pressure on others to join, and I would hope they would. When they say this, we have to listen. Does the Tánaiste not accept this?

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