Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)

I thank the Deputy for raising, as Deputy Doherty did, a really important issue regarding the protection of citizens on international seas and the rule of law with regard to them. The Government, the Taoiseach and the Tánaiste are keenly aware of this. What are we doing with regard to it? We are taking diplomatic action. We are raising this matter with other governments within the European Union and at the international gatherings happening in New York. I reiterate that the protection of international law must be afforded to those who are at sea at the moment and those who are on the flotilla. Regardless of the conditions they are in, they deserve the protection offered by international law. That is absolutely crucial. I do not have the first-hand experience Deputy Murphy has of the flotilla and seeing it prepare, but I have no doubt at all that those who are involved in it are motivated by a desire to send a signal regarding their human response to what is happening in Gaza and to play whatever role they can in offering practical support to the people confronting such terrible conditions.

As to what we have done, it is at a number of different levels. First, the Tánaiste, as I said earlier, has raised this issue with Vice President Kaja Kallas, who is the high representative of the European Union with regard to foreign policy, to make the case for the European Union having a collective response to this.

He also raised it at the meeting in the past number of days regarding the Global Alliance for the Implementation of the Two-State Solution in the context of the effort countries are still making for a two-state solution in the Middle East. The Department of foreign affairs, at a practical level, is doing all it can to provide consular assistance to our citizens who find themselves in such a difficult situation.

I am informed that our officials are in direct contact with a designated person in the Global Movement to Gaza delegation, which I understand is the organising group behind this flotilla. We will continue to maintain that contact and to raise this issue at the highest level we can, both diplomatically and politically.

See this speech in context