Neale Richmond (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)

I do not know. I do not think we are doing enough. I do not think any of us are doing enough because, ultimately, there will be scores of Palestinian children killed tonight. I think we accept that with heavy hearts, but I wonder what more we can do than what we are doing. It is important that we constantly have this debate. That is why I repeat my genuine gratitude to the Deputy for tabling this debate and giving us this opportunity to discuss what has been done and what more can be done.

The Deputy is right to talk about the moral imperative. There is also a legal imperative based on the ICJ. Ireland has acted on that and become a party to the case. The Deputy understandably mentioned the occupied territories Bill, which is with the committee at this point. I can confirm to the House that I have already had engagement with the Slovenian foreign minister and just last week with the Norwegian minister, who said that if we managed to pass legislation that sought to do what they wanted us to do in terms of the occupied territories Bill for goods and, indeed, services and if that was feasible, they would replicate that legislation. That is how we build the coalition the Deputy spoke of in his opening intervention.

I think about the review of the EU-Israel association agreement that Ireland secured, but it is now up to the EU to act. I know the Minister of State, Deputy Byrne, has raised this repeatedly at the General Affairs Council to make sure there is real action. We are looking at how other states have sanctioned Israeli ministers and at what options there are to also do that at an EU level.

I will conclude by referencing humanitarian aid, Ireland's track record and the work of bodies like Trócaire and many other aid agencies in Gaza over many years, aid programmes that are now suspended. We are at a very delicate time in global history, when far too many actors are cutting their overseas development aid. Against that, Ireland increased its overseas development aid budget. When the rest of the EU suspended funding to UNRWA, we increased our funding to UNRWA. Of course, we can do more, and we will absolutely do more for the people of Gaza.

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