Vincent P Martin (Green Party) | Oireachtas source

The carnage, wanton waste of life and the slaughter of innocent victims, especially children, in Palestine and Israel has been well documented in recent days. The Minister for Foreign Affairs issued one of the most unequivocal statements made in recent times by an Irish Minister for Foreign Affairs, and ought to be commended on doing so. It is important to call out the disproportionate response of the Israeli military, the war crimes it has committed and how it is in flagrant breach of international humanitarian law.

As the Minister, Deputy Coveney, stated, there is a need for a collective, unified response. My questions for the international community are as follows. How many more people must die before the international community comes together and imposes sanctions on Israel? How many more children must die? How many more displays of grotesquely disproportionate military responses must we have to endure before the international community stands up to Israel and says enough is enough, that it is acting like a rogue democracy?

In recent days, An Taisce and its statutory role in the planning process has received criticism, with people not involved in litigation professor-proofing High Court judgments, offering to interpret them and offering unsolicited legal advice. In every case, there is a constitutional right to an appeal. If there is something baseless or groundless about litigation, it can be sorted out within the litigation by claiming it is vexatious or bringing an application to have the case dismissed as bound to fail. However, if that is not being done, people should keep their noses out of litigation, respect the independent judicial process and let litigation take its full course, including the constitutional right to an appeal.