Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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24. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade what efforts he is making to assist Irish citizens or families with connections to this country who are seeking to escape Gaza and especially those who have contacted him seeking assistance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3349/24]

Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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I handed the Tánaiste a letter this week from Zak Hania's wife. He is an Irish citizen trapped in Gaza and is not being allowed out by Israel. She is appealing to the Tánaiste to assist him. Two other Irish citizens contacted me who are also trapped. They are in effect being held hostage by Israel. I want to know what the Government is doing to try to get them out and what it has said to the Israelis or European counterparts about the fact Israel is preventing Irish citizens from leaving the horror of Gaza. I also sent the Tánaiste an extensive list of people who are citizens of Ireland with family in Gaza who are appealing for assistance from the Government to allow them to exit the horror of Gaza. What is the Government doing on that?

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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The Deputy also attacked me when I went to Israel to seek to get Irish citizens out of Gaza. His fellow travellers did likewise, as well as trolling and misinformation online. We got 56 people out.

Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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I do not think the Tánaiste should have gone to Israel. That is my view.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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Yet the Deputy comes in here and says he is handing me letters to get people out.

Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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No, I think the European Union-----

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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You are just a hypocrite.

Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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The European Union-----

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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Come off it.

Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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-----should crack the whip on Israel over the treatment of our citizens.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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Regarding the specific people, I will do everything I can to get people out of Gaza and that means engaging with the Israeli authorities. Our ambassador in Israel has engaged repeatedly with Israeli authorities and that resulted in very substantial numbers of Irish citizens and their dependants getting out of Gaza. If you had your way, nobody would get out of Gaza.

Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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Do you think it is acceptable that Israel is holding our citizens hostage?

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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You are just behaving hypocritically. I went out there to get people out and you attacked me. Then you come in the following day and say "Please get them out". Come off it. What credibility have you?

Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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What credibility has the European Union for allowing citizens to be treated in that way?

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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You are a disgrace. You are unbelievable.