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

-----was a member of the Labour Party and had a very distinguished career here in terms of equality legislation in particular so there is an honourable and very positive Jewish tradition in Ireland and I think this is something we must protect. It is a small community. That is the context.

In response to Deputy Bacik on hate speech legislation, that Act was amended last year. We just went ahead with the penalty side of it. There was a lot of opposition and resistance in light of what is happening on social media. That was regrettable in my view. The European directives are clear on that. What happened in terms of the legislation last year was to facilitate higher penalties for those convicted of hate speech.

The Holocaust remembrance is excellently organised and has been through the years. It has always been free of controversy and I hope we can get back to that situation and engage with the Jewish community in Ireland in terms of how we properly remember the Holocaust. By and large, our primary and secondary schools have been strong on that down through the years.

Regarding the impact on Europe, Deputy Boyd Barrett referenced other countries' attitudes. Germany has a completely different perspective on the Middle East because of the Holocaust, it seems to me. I think its former Chancellor said that the raison d'être of the German Government was to protect Israel. That is historically how they see it. It is completely different to the atmosphere and views in Ireland and how Ireland would see things. We work and engage to try to change perspectives. Our focus has been on ending the war in Gaza, demanding a comprehensive surge in humanitarian aid, then working on the Arab peace initiative to get peace in Gaza, guaranteeing security for Israel and getting the hostages released.

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