Réada Cronin (Kildare North, Sinn Fein)

It is not right that they were asked to leave.

I am disgusted but not a bit surprised that the Government has once again decided not to support our Private Members’ Bill. The Irish people have been lied to by the Government, which pretends to be supportive of Palestine when all it has done to date is recognise Palestine as a state - the best boys in the class but it is a very bad class. Sinn Féin is offering a real and credible action that can stop Irish complicity in this genocide but the Government has refused. It allows trade with Israel every single day and it was worth €4 billion to the Israeli war machine last year. It is disgusting and shameful.

I asked on Questions on Promised Legislation a few weeks ago why we were not checking aeroplanes that pass through Shannon Airport with munitions. My question was dismissed. Since when should Ireland take the word of America, the state that is supplying Israel with the bombs that are burning children alive in Gaza? I was in Ennis courthouse this morning to lend my support to a constituent, Padraic Grogan, as his case was being heard for peaceful protest at Shannon Airport. Padraic was in Ennis courthouse today doing the job of this Government and ensuring that no weapons are passing through Shannon Airport. As he said today, everything else is just noise. Twenty months into a genocide, the Government is now morally and legally complicit. Padraic put himself between those munitions and the innocent children of Gaza because his Government is not prepared to.

A brave young woman, who has already been thrown out even though she was silent, is Sophie Ní Choimín from Clane in my constituency, Kildare North. She feels she has been left with no other option but to go on hunger strike to get the Government to do more. What is the Minister at when ordinary people have to go to extremes because of his moderation, because of his cowardice? The Government should stop shaming itself and stop shaming Ireland. Support our Israeli war bonds Bill, pass the occupied territories Bill, pass Deputy John Brady's Illegal Israeli Settlements Divestment Bill and stop shaming us all.

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