Brian Brennan (Wicklow-Wexford, Fine Gael)
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I am here to speak about the latest situation with regard to the occupied territories Bill. I have the privilege of being on the foreign affairs committee.

I commend all members of that committee on the work that has been done to date. We are a crucial stage. I am seeking an update on the Government's view on the matter.

We have had hours of legal discussion. We have met legal teams from all over the world. We met the ambassador. We met the person who took the lead on this - Senator Frances Black. She deserves enormous credit for the work she has done. I listened intently, as have all members of the committee, to the discussion on the six key requirements: an immediate ceasefire; recognition of the State of Palestine; challenge the EU-Israel trade agreement; and address the brutality of what is happening in the occupied territories. We must help rebuild the country. We must find a long-term solution to what is going on.

As we discussed all the issues, for me, one box was not ticked, namely that relating to the people on the ground. I went to Cairo last weekend. I spoke with hardened people in NGOs who told me about the day-to-day experience and what is happening. I was involved previously when I went to Sri Lanka after the tsunami, but this is at a different level. What is happening out there has never been seen in my lifetime. When they wake up in the morning, children go scavenging, not for food but for wood for the fire. More than likely, the fire is in a tent and the temperature outside is 45°C. What is going on is just horrific. The men queue for food and the ladies in the house try to keep some normality. They use the bare rations that are available. I listened to evidence of what is happening at first hand. At this stage, the ladies are going out and getting water from the sea and boiling it. One lady told her kids to have a shower. She got the bottle of rationed water and stuck a pin in it and put the kids under the water. She could not use it all because she needed some of it to drink and make tea.

There is no sanitation. The medical system is on its knees. There is little or no education. The so-called Israel-American humanitarian relief is an absolute insult to the word "humanity". People have to line up and fight for food. If they are out of order, they are shot – adults and kids. We do not know how many people have died. There are figures of between 70,000 and 100,000. The true facts should be known. The people who have genuine illnesses such as cancer – day-to-day illnesses that we take for granted over here – are not being treated. If we add them to the numbers, we can see that the situation is just horrendous.

We know for a fact that 17,000 kids have died, of whom 1,700 were under the age of one. Those kids were shot before they could walk. When getting on the aeroplane to come home, my most abiding memory was of the youth. I really fear for the future of the youth. These kids have lost their parents. They have no education.

Aidan Farrelly (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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The Deputy can come back in.

Brian Brennan (Wicklow-Wexford, Fine Gael)
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They have no medical assistance. This is an important point. What is the future for them? In six years' time, they will be angry young men and women.

Aidan Farrelly (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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I ask the Deputy to conclude.

Brian Brennan (Wicklow-Wexford, Fine Gael)
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They are going to say that the world looked on as they starved to death.

Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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I thank Deputy Brennan very much for his very eloquent, heartfelt and almost emotional contribution. He is speaking from experience in the aftermath of his visit out there. I know he has been very active and vocal on the occupied territories Bill at the committee, which is what he is seeking a response on today.

I concur with the Deputy's comments about Senator Frances Black. She has done enormous work. She has worked in a very collegiate fashion with the Government and the leaders of the Government parties to bring this to fruition.

On 24 June last, the Government approved the general scheme of the Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territory (prohibition of importation of goods) Bill. The general scheme delivers on the commitment in the programme for Government to progress legislation prohibiting the import of goods from the settlements in the occupied Palestinian territory following the advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice of 19 July 2024. The general scheme was referred to the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade for pre-legislative scrutiny. These proceedings are currently ongoing. Officials from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade engaged with the committee on Tuesday, 1 July. I am conscious that the committee has heard from several legal and academic experts and representatives of the Jewish community in Ireland, as well as Israeli and Palestinian interest groups, and that further hearings may be scheduled.

I commend the Chair and members of the committee for ensuring that a broad range of views and perspectives are being heard. The Government is committed to progressing the legislation. The views of the House on this legislation are well known and have been broadly discussed.

At the same time, there are other voices and perspectives that are not as frequently aired in the political and public discourse here in Ireland. It is important that we are aware of these as we move forward. As the Tánaiste said very clearly last week, we in the Oireachtas want to pass the legislation in a fully informed manner, with our eyes wide open. It cannot be emphasised enough that the optimal policy scenario would be appropriate action at EU level. This has been, and continues to be, the focus of the Government's engagement. We regret that it has been necessary to move ahead of EU partners on a matter of such importance.

The importance and relevance of addressing the illegal settlements was outlined in stark terms by several Israeli human rights organisations this week in a letter addressed to the EU High Representative in advance of the Foreign Affairs Council, which took place yesterday. Among several deeply concerning issues raised in the letter was the fact that the process for establishing and expanding settlements has been streamlined by the Israeli Government, leading to a record-breaking approval of 22 new settlements in May alone. They also noted the policy of granting near impunity.

During yesterday's meeting of the Foreign Affairs Council, Ireland echoed these concerns, as well as our deep concerns regarding the catastrophic humanitarian situation in Gaza and the need for humanitarian access at scale and a ceasefire and a hostage release deal. Ireland was clear in reiterating the need for the EU to respond in an effective manner. Against this backdrop, it remains deeply unsatisfactory that no appropriate action has been taken by the European Commission as regards trade with illegal settlements in the face of such clear policy and legal imperatives.

I again thank Deputy Brennan for his work and his contribution. He clearly knows where the Government stands on this issue, which is to progress this legislation as quickly as possible.

Brian Brennan (Wicklow-Wexford, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Minister of State. I warmly welcome her response. Please God, we need to prepare now for life after the ceasefire. When this brutality stops, the key words of the NGOs are to the effect that we need a permanent solution. If we do not get one, we are going to be back here again in six months' time. We must watch closely the set-up in that regard, but, first, there must be a ceasefire.

I mentioned young people. As part of the recovery we must look at their mentality, or else we will have a world swarming with angry young men and women that have suffered in this conflict. They have lost everything. They will be angry because they are watching the world doing nothing. That is why it is so important that we continue to take the lead. We must do everything that is legally possible. If we have to challenge some of the facts, we will challenge them. In our lifetime, we have never witnessed anything on this scale. As a result, we cannot be found wanting in the context of our response to these atrocities. I honestly feel the momentum is on our side. There is 100% cross-party support in this House. Everybody cares about this situation, but mere words are no good now. The people over there are fed up of words.

We can see the kids in college in America. They are starting the uprising. That is where it starts. We can see a change in momentum in Europe. It is not fast enough, but it is happening.

I appeal for us to be at the forefront and continue to fight for peace and justice, and a permanent solution in Palestine.

Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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I concur with the Deputy’s sentiments. His parting thoughts leaving at the weekend were of the young people and the mentality of the young people having suffered what they had suffered. Yesterday, during Leaders’ Questions, we discussed the occupied territories Bill. The Taoiseach talked how if it were not for media and social media, we would be blind to much of what was happening. However, we are not blind. We do know, we are aware and we cannot ignore. On a Europe-wide level, Ireland has been head and shoulders above the rest. That is not to say it has been all satisfactory by any manner or means.

The Deputy’s sentiment today is not just about the Bill, but the future, the rebuilding of Palestine and the two-state solution, which is what we think the answer is. Once a ceasefire and two states are achieved, it will be a question of how to put the resources into rebuilding Palestine and finding a way for those young people to recover and rebuild their lives. It will not be easy but I think that Ireland and all of the representatives across this House, both in government and opposition, care deeply about this issue and will work might and main to make that happen.