Paul Gavan (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I commend Senator Davitt on raising the important issue of online gambling. I also support the comments that Senator Higgins made about CETA.

Today, I wish to raise the issue of Palestine. As the Leader will be aware, there was a vote in the Dáil and the Seanad to recognise the state of Palestine two years ago. Indeed, a commitment to recognise the state is contained in the programme for Government, yet any time my party leader or others bring up the issue, we are fobbed off by the Taoiseach. I ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade to come to the House to debate the matter.

I recognise and acknowledge that there are people across the Chamber who feel strongly about Palestine and support the Palestinian people. I ask my colleagues in Fine Gael who feel strongly about the issue to raise it within their parliamentary Oireachtas team. There is no need for legislation to be enacted in order to recognise the state of Palestine. We simply need the Taoiseach to stand up and say that this State recognises the state of Palestine.

I remind Senators that the situation in Palestine gets worse by the day. We met an impressive group of people from the Ecumenical Accompaniment Programme in Palestine and Israel a fortnight ago. They described the demolition of 252 Palestinian homes this year to date, which made 1,100 people homeless, including 500 children. We know that the Israeli authorities are increasingly refusing to allow people into the West Bank or Gaza because they are afraid of what people might say when they return home, thus exposing the horrific nature of the apartheid state in Israel.

I appeal to the Leader, hopefully on behalf of a number of Senators in this Chamber, to please talk to the Taoiseach about recognising the state of Palestine. The people of Palestine should not have to wait another day for this State to recognise the state of Palestine. The programme for Government contains a commitment to doing so. Let us work on this together and ensure we make progress.