Thomas Byrne (Meath East, Fianna Fail)

Yes, I think the word came through during this debate. I only heard about it when I came into the Chamber.

As I say, we have taken leadership on the EU-Israel Association Agreement. The Taoiseach was very strong again in calling for that agreement to be suspended while the review takes place. The EU must use all the levers at its disposal with the urgency that the situation demands. We in Ireland will use all the tools at our disposal to respond to this dreadful conflict and work towards achieving the aims.

We have provided over €87 million in support of the people of Palestine since January 2023. Of this, more than €75 million has been provided by Irish taxpayers through the Government in humanitarian assistance in response to the suffering caused by the conflict in Gaza since October 2023. This includes €58 million for UNRWA since 2023. Again, we have supported UNRWA. We have been steadfast in our support at an EU level and not everybody has been in the same position. We have provided humanitarian assistance to the people of Gaza through other agencies, including the World Food Programme and the Red Cross and the Red Crescent societies. Through our rapid response initiative, 116 tonnes of relief supplies, including family tents, tarpaulins, blankets, water cans and hygiene kits have been provided. There are currently two consignments of humanitarian aid in Jordan awaiting entry to Gaza. Both consignments have received permission to enter Gaza but they cannot do so because of the blockade.

UNIFIL was mentioned. It is very important that we remember our colleagues in UNIFIL because we welcome it continuing to play an important role next-door in Lebanon. We have seen incidents of aggression by the Israeli army against UNIFIL forces in its area of operation and that is unacceptable. Our solidarity is with all of our soldiers and all of the other soldiers working under the UN flag. Any deliberate targeting of UNIFIL personnel or installations is a violation again of international humanitarian law.

We have been active at the ICJ. We have filed detailed written submissions with the ICJ in advisory proceedings concerning the obligations of Israel in relation to the UN and other international organisations in the occupied Palestinian territory. Those proceedings arose from a UN General Assembly resolution. People were asking us to bring resolutions to the General Assembly and this is one that Ireland co-sponsored last December following the adoption in October 2024 of legislation by the Israeli Parliament which in effect prohibits the presence and activities of UNRWA. It is a considered set of legal arguments which cogently reflects our national position. I strongly reject suggestions some have made that by only doing written statements, which is the normal procedure, that we are somehow deficient in our support. We are leading the way at EU and UN levels, exactly what the Opposition is accusing us of not doing. We are being criticised by the Israeli Government for all of this. I stand over everything we have done and will continue to do in the court.

The long-term impact of the physical and mental scars being inflicted on children in Gaza is totally unconscionable and others have mentioned this. It is difficult to imagine the untold suffering they have experienced. Government approval was secured in September last for Ireland to evacuate a number of sick children from Gaza for treatment and care, following an appeal from the WHO to address the current health needs of people from Gaza. To date, 12 children and their family members have come to Ireland under the EU Civil Protection Mechanism. I am sure everybody is proud that Ireland was able to offer these children the care they desperately need. Both medical evacuations required the efforts of numerous Government Departments, led by the Department of Health, and our embassy team in Cairo. It was a whole-of-government approach and thanks go to everyone involved. This is consistent with our support for the people of Palestine.

I have to reject this thing that keeps coming up that somehow Ireland is complicit in this, or the Irish Government is complicit in this. It is completely and utterly unconscionable that that would be said in this House. We have led the way on this. We are doing absolutely everything we can. It requires decisions at the Security Council, over which some countries have the power of veto, at the UN and at the European Council of Ministers, where everybody has power of veto over foreign policy. We are absolutely steadfast in our support for the Palestinian people and for a peaceful two-state solution and in our opposition to anti-Semitism in this country and around the world, and are working hard on that. On this idea of being complicit, the Opposition should just stop using these words. It can criticise the Government, hold it to account and ask it to do more - that is what oppositions do. However, to say that somehow we are complicit is just disgraceful language from the Opposition. We will continue to speak as loudly as we have been and we will continue to be that voice that has been recognised all over the world.

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