Ruth Coppinger (Dublin West, Solidarity)

The Commissioner of the EU, Ursula von der Leyen, is not just complicit in the genocide in Gaza; she is actively supportive of the Israeli state and what it is doing. She still uses the term, "Israel's right to defend itself", right up until now. Even when Gaza is being starved, children are being killed for sport and doctors are being murdered, Israel has the right to defend itself, according to her. It is absolutely shameful that she is heading up the EU. Tomorrow, the Minister of State's party, Fine Gael, the Labour Party and other parties will have the right to send a message on that because there will be a vote of no confidence in Ursula von der Leyen. Any Irish MEP who votes to support her, given what she has done, should hang his or her head in shame. Such MEPs are not representing the views of the majority of Irish people. We believe that Fine Gael will troop up - it is not fully clear what Fianna Fáil will do - and apparently the Labour Party has also professed its support on the basis that a far-right group is putting the vote. I will tell the Minister of State now-----

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