Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)

We can have a discussion about Israel and genocide but that is not the purpose of this. International fixtures against genocidal nations is not a matter for the national sporting bodies alone. If Ireland had taken a stronger stance, and if the sporting body had gone ahead with a fixture against the Government's position then, I think, the Minister of State would have a different approach here. However, the match went ahead and, regrettably, the Irish team lost but there is a further match in March of next year. There is still time for Ireland to take a stance and to indicate to Basketball Ireland that it has the support of the Government in supporting the women playing for Ireland who did not want to play this fixture because of threats and intimidation from the other team and, in particular, because of the sporting boycott, which is a worldwide phenomenon at the moment against Israel. I thank Irish Sport for Palestine for its laudable work in profiling this case.

See this speech in context