Mairéad Farrell (Galway West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Go raibh maith agat. A Thánaiste, 14,000 babies could die in the next 48 hours if food is not allowed into Gaza, according to the UN. The Tánaiste will have seen those figures. We have all seen them just as we have all seen the pictures and the video footage of harrowingly gaunt faces, bodies down to skin and bones, and bodies consuming their own muscle tissue and organs as they try desperately to avoid starvation and stay alive. One of the greatest crimes against humanity is playing out before our eyes in real time. The best some of the western leaders have to offer is hand-wringing and words of condemnation which never evolve into meaningful action. No normal state would ever carry out such atrocities against defenceless civilians. Terms like "rogue state" just do not do justice to the evil that is being perpetrated. The cowardice in the face of this great evil is one of the most disturbing things I have ever seen in my life. At the same time, we have to take hope from the tremendous courage of citizens across the world, including here in Ireland.

We have to take hope from people who know that we can do more and that we must do more. We must stop the use of Shannon Airport, stop the use of our airspace, enact the occupied territories Bill and stop the facilitation of Israeli war bonds.

Women have always been to the fore of this activism. Women like the workers in Dunnes Stores who stood up against South African apartheid. We have seen the tremendous activism of the Mothers Against Genocide as they have consistently protested throughout this genocide. Only a few days ago, we saw three women protest at the continued use of Shannon Airport. In a statement, they clearly said they wished they did not have to do this but the inaction of our Government makes them complicit in the genocide in Palestine and they cannot let this go on. They were arrested and detained as a result of this. They want the planes searched. I want the planes searched.

The Tánaiste cannot control what other world leaders do. He can only control what he can do and what his Department does, so pass the occupied territories Bill and bring in sanctions now. Enough of the empty words.

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