Dáil debates
Tuesday, 22 March 2011
Priority Questions
Middle East Peace Process
3:00 pm
Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal North East, Sinn Fein)
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Question 16: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs if his attention has been drawn to the fact that a number of States have recently recognised Palestine as an independent state; his plans to do the same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5414/11]
Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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A number of countries, principally in Latin America, including Brazil, Argentina and Chile, have recently decided to recognise a Palestinian state. This is in addition to those states, mostly in Africa or the Islamic world, which have recognised Palestine for many years. Over 30 years ago Ireland, in a speech by my predecessor, the late Brian Lenihan, was the first EU member state to declare that the resolution of the Palestinian issue must involve the establishment of a Palestinian state. That is now the policy of the European Union and the international community. I share the commitment of successive Irish Governments to this policy and will be working towards its realisation. It would be premature to declare such recognition now in advance of actual control of the territory in question, a condition to which we in Ireland attach great importance. It is also important to recall that the Palestinian leadership, while clearly working towards the declaration of a state in the near future, has not yet done so. The timing of such a declaration will be an important decision for it to take and may involve potential negative consequences on the ground.
Separately, a number of EU partners, including Ireland, France, Spain, Portugal and the United Kingdom, have recently taken steps to upgrade the status of the Palestinian delegations in their countries, largely in recognition of the continuing progress being made by Prime Minister Fayyad and the Palestinian Authority in building the institutions of a future Palestinian state. By a decision of the previous Government in January, which I fully endorse, the Palestinian representative office in Ireland was upgraded to mission status, headed by an ambassador. I very much hope to be able to extend Irish recognition to an actual functioning Palestinian state during my time in office.
Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal North East, Sinn Fein)
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I am mindful of the fact that when we enter Leinster House, the 1916 Proclamation is one of the first documents we see. A few short years after the 1916 Rising and the reading of the Proclamation outside the GPO, the Irish people, by way of their vote for Sinn Féin in the 1918 election, voted in favour of their independence. We had the First Dáil and declared our independence to the world, with a programme for Government based on the 1916 Proclamation.
Joanna Tuffy (Dublin Mid West, Labour)
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Does the Deputy have a question?
Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal North East, Sinn Fein)
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I will come to it very quickly, although the direction I wish to take is clear. At that time the world did not recognise our legitimate democratic right to freedom and there were dramatic consequences. In 1988 the Palestine Liberation Organization-----
Joanna Tuffy (Dublin Mid West, Labour)
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The Deputy should ask a question.
Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal North East, Sinn Fein)
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-----in an extremely honourable compromise was willing to accept 22% of the territory based on the lines drawn in 1967. However, that has never been accepted and because of the failure of the Government, the European Union and the international community to give the Palestinians the validation required-----
Joanna Tuffy (Dublin Mid West, Labour)
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The Deputy's time is up.
Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal North East, Sinn Fein)
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-----there have been crises in Gaza and the continued repression and control of the Palestinian people. Will we take a stand through the Government and lead a charge in Europe to defend the rights of the Palestinian people or does the document at the front of this building amount to sheer hyprocrisy?
Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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I hope to be able to extend recognition to a Palestinian state during my time in office. It is also clearly the case that the actions of the state of Israel, particularly as they affect Gaza and the settlements, are in breach of international law and involve injustice and humiliation for Palestinians. They constitute an obstacle to the achievement of a comprehensive peace settlement in the Middle East. I have also stated Ireland recently upgraded the status of diplomatic links between Ireland and Palestine, on which we hope to build.
Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal North East, Sinn Fein)
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I will repeat what was a very simple question. The Tánaiste is new to his position and this is a fresh start. Traditonally his party gave support to the Palestinian people. I ask him, therefore, to take a stand, with Cyprus, in the European Union in recognising the rights of the Palestinian people. That would have a significant and dramatic impact. Ireland is respected internationally for its involvement in peacekeeping and defending the rights of those who are downtrodden. We could take a significant step in this regard. I, therefore, implore the Tánaiste to recognise a Palestinian state as soon as possible to follow in the footsteps of Cyprus, one of our European partners, and a number of countries in Latin America. It would be a significant gesture.
Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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The two-year Palestinian Authority plan to prepare for statehood is due to be completed in the autumn. The response of the European Union to such a declaration of statehood will be a key issue in discussions among EU foreign Ministers. I will be participating fully in those discussions and I am conscious of the necessity to contribute positively to them rather than to anticipate their outcome. My focus will be on advancing them in order that in this country we can provide recognition, I hope in conjunction with other European Union member states.
Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal North East, Sinn Fein)
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Will Ireland lead the charge in that respect in the European Union?
Joanna Tuffy (Dublin Mid West, Labour)
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The time for this question has expired.
Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal North East, Sinn Fein)
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Will the Minister answer my question, which is a simple one?
Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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The Deputy need not have any doubts in that regard.