Jim D'Arcy (Fine Gael)

Notwithstanding our present difficulties, which are great, as a respected member of the international community, from time to time we should consider other matters. In that context, I wish to congratulate the Holocaust Education Trust of Ireland and Mémorial de la Shoah in Paris on the launch of its exhibition, The Holocaust in Europe, which was launched on Monday evening in the Department of Justice and Equality. Time in no way diminishes the horror of the Holocaust. Not alone was it European anti-Semitism which caused it, but in our own country the then Irish ambassador's advice was that, and I quote, "Ireland should be protected from the contamination that would result from granting residential visas to Jewish refugees". This resulted in practically no visas being granted.

In this context, I suggest that we in Europe, in Ireland in particular, should take a balanced view of the Palestinian-Israeli situation. While supporting the Palestinian right to statehood, we should also fully support the right of the State of Israel to exist within secure borders. I ask the Leader to note this and to urge the Members of the Seanad to visit that exhibition. I wish to inform the Leader and the House that in my position of education spokesperson for Fine Gael in the Seanad, I will be writing to schools to ask them to visit this exhibition.