Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I was in New York at the United Nations General Assembly where I was asked to present the Irish Government's position in an initiative we are taking with Arab and other European states to advance the two-state solution. At the sidelines of that meeting, I had the great privilege of meeting the Prime Minister of Palestine. He could not have been more supportive of what the Irish Government and Irish people have been doing. He could not be more explicit as to how we have actually stood up and tried to protect the rights of their people. I heard it previously. I remember going on an Oireachtas visit to meet the head of the Arab League, who similarly spoke about what the Irish soldiers have done in south Lebanon. At the moment of greatest risk, when villages were subject to attack, the Irish soldiers stood on the bridge and said, "You shall not pass”. He said they would never forget that. That is what our soldiers are doing today, putting themselves in danger and standing up for what the Irish people believe, that is, international peace and the rule of law. I cannot go through every particular article or different example, but I have asked my Department to do so, and it is following up to check every single incident mentioned. I do not refute that is an issue of concern. If we find there are munitions being carried that way, that is something we will take with the utmost seriousness and to which we will have to respond. The response is legislative, and that does take time.

I will cite what I heard Senator Black say yesterday. She made the valid point that even now, when advancing the occupied territories Bill, there is a realisation that we cannot introduce legislation, particularly in this most complex area, that of aviation, of international law. We need some time to work out the complexities as to how we would apply-----

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