Barry Ward (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Gabhaim buíochas leis an gCathaoirleach as ucht an ábhair seo a roghnú mar cheann de na nithe i dtosach suíonna. The Minister of State is very welcome to the House.

The issue I am raising today relates to Irish Aid activities. I wish to put on record my praise for the manner in which Irish Aid operates. Ireland has a model of humanitarian aid and relief that has been copied by other countries around the world. It is something that comes without strings attached. One of the things that works particularly well is that when Irish Aid selects a programme - the reality is that because of limited resources we pick particular programmes in particular countries around the world, which is to be welcomed - it focuses on that and focuses on getting results rather than requiring the country receiving the aid, as happens with other countries, to buy products from our companies or whatever it may be. I am immensely proud of the way Irish Aid works and we can see the results for the work done by Irish Aid.

One of the areas identified by Irish Aid for particular focus is the occupied Palestinian territories - the West Bank, East Jerusalem and Gaza. Undoubtedly, what has been happening in Gaza has had an effect on Irish Aid activities there. I know there is very close co-operation between Irish Aid and the UN Relief and Works Agency. We have given €68 million to UNRWA since 2005, working to help nearly 6 million Palestinian refugees in that region.

One of the focuses of that is education. That has been very progressive. We have done a lot of really good work. This year alone, I believe Irish Aid has allocated €29 million to the occupied Palestinian territories. Part of that focus, of course, is education. That has been one of the areas Irish Aid has identified to work on with Palestinians in order that they have opportunities and a place to go.

The reality for most people living in the occupied Palestinian territories, particularly in Gaza, is that they are subject to constant human rights abuses and breaches of international law. One of the issues that Irish Aid has identified there is the illegal seizure of land and demolition of homes. These are huge problems. It is disruptive, as well as being illegal.

I was in Gaza in 2005 post disengagement, after the Israelis settlements there were demolished and the Israeli settlers were removed from the Gaza Strip. At the same time, the Israel Defense Forces were flying in over Gaza City what are known as sonic bombs where they fly in fighter jets at supersonic speeds at a low altitude creating a sonic boom over a highly populated area. It is collective punishment. It is a war crime and it is against the law in no uncertain terms. That is not unusual for people living in that area.

Obviously in recent times that situation has escalated beyond any recognition. The destruction that has been wreaked on Gaza City in the northern end of the Gaza Strip and spreading increasingly farther south has meant that projects funded by Irish Aid have been destroyed. In education, for example, one of the things Irish Aid has done is build schools and invest in physical infrastructure in the Gaza Strip to support Palestinians living there. Many of those projects have now been completely destroyed. My question for the Minister of State this morning is: what are we going to do about it?

Obviously, Ireland is a small, militarily non-aligned country. We are probably not Israel's favourite country at the moment, judging by the way its representatives have interacted with us in the media, as well as diplomatically. The illegal actions of Israel at the moment - assuming they are illegal as I believe they are - have resulted in the destruction of projects funded by Irish taxpayers' money. What are we going to do about that? Are we going to take legal action against Israel for the destruction of our projects? What are we going to do to bring to Israel's door the fact that its illegal actions have destroyed projects paid for by Irish taxpayers?