Micheál Martin (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Let me finish my point. I am answering the question. It is an important point to state in the House. Many in our Jewish community do not feel comfortable with the atmosphere out there at the moment in going about their daily lives and, more worryingly, do not feel comfortable with outward manifestations of the fact that they are Jewish.

We have to be alert to that. We have to deal with that in our schools to make sure that is not a factor. Many people within our Jewish community have different views, as the Deputy correctly pointed out. Some do not support what Prime Minister Netanyahu is doing but we cannot conflate criticism of Israel and what Israel is doing - or blame for what the Government of Israel is doing - with the Jewish community here or elsewhere across Europe. This is important because, historically, we had a very good tradition in this country. In particular, the 1937 Constitution provided for protection for our Jewish community. With regard to my city of Cork and my party, founding members of our party were members of the Jewish community. Robert Briscoe wrote a great book, entitled For the Life of Me, detailing his role in travelling the country forming cumann Fianna Fáil. His son, Deputy Ben Briscoe, sat in this House and both were Lord Mayors of Dublin. The Lord Mayor of Cork, Gerald Goldberg, was a member of our party. Likewise, Mervyn Taylor-----

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