Chris Andrews (Dublin Bay South, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Palestinian ambassador who is with us. Today is an important day for Ireland in recognising the State of Palestine. It is the right thing to do.

Ireland's formal recognition of the State of Palestine firmly reflects the support for and solidarity with Palestine among the people of Ireland. I acknowledge the presence of members of an Irish support for Palestine group in the Gallery and all the work they do.

Ireland, along with Spain and Norway, have stood up against the shameful inaction from the EU. For years, we have witnessed the inaction and silence from the EU towards apartheid Israel. There have been increased EU trade deals with Israel, while Israel unleashed a brutal system of apartheid on the people of Palestine. Ten years after the Dáil voted in favour of a Sinn Féin motion calling for Ireland to officially recognise the State of Palestine, it is shameful that it has taken the murder of 36,000 Palestinians by Israel in the current phase of slaughter before we recognised Palestinian statehood.

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