James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

As the Senator will know, Ireland has been a long-standing supporter of UNRWA, which provides essential services to the Palestinian refugee populations in the West Bank, Gaza, Lebanon and Jordan, which is some 5.9 million people. I visited UNRWA in Jordan only last year.

We fully support the decision of UNRWA Commissioner-General, Mr. Philippe Lazzarini, to immediately terminate the contracts of a small number of employees in Gaza suspected of involvement in the brutal terrorist attack on 7 October.These allegations must be investigated thoroughly.

Ireland provided €36 million of funding to support health, education, humanitarian relief and other basic relief services for Palestinians in 2023, including €18 million through UNRWA. We have no plans to suspend funding to UNRWA and have full confidence in the UNRWA leadership in upholding its zero-tolerance policy for anyone involved in violence or terror, and Ireland's support will continue.