Paul Gavan (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I extend my condolences to our colleagues in Fianna Fáil in respect of the late Mary O’Rourke, who was an impressive politician. She was a trailblazer in her time for women in politics.

The Ditch released further information today on the transmissions of war munitions through Irish airspace. It tells us that:

Tonnes of munitions of war were transported to Israel through Irish sovereign airspace yesterday morning. Government knew four weeks ago that the same carrier ... illegally transported explosives for the ... IDF ... over Ireland in April this year – after a [Ditch report].

I am record on a number of occasions here highlighting the role of Shannon Airport and the fact that it flies of the face of our opposition to what the Israeli forces are doing in Palestine – the ongoing genocide. It is not good enough that the Government has taken no meaningful action in respect of the use of Shannon Airport, the support of the horrendous war and the use of Irish airspace. We need an urgent debate on this issue. I echo my colleague, Senator O’Reilly, in calling for the Tánaiste to come to the House so we can debate all of these issues.

It is timely to also remind colleagues that as the Taoiseach is due to meet with Joe Biden, he needs to have a very clear message to the president. The message he gave when he was in the United Nations a couple weeks ago was that he did not want to comment on US foreign policy in this regard. He stated: “I wouldn't appreciate another country telling us our foreign policy or telling us how to proceed.”It is one of the weakest statements I have ever heard from any Taoiseach, anywhere. When he meets Joe Biden, he needs to make a clear call for US arms supplies to Israel to end. That is it. An arms embargo is what we need; nothing else will be satisfactory. In the Leader's response I might ask her to confirm she supports such a call for an arms embargo on the apartheid Israeli state. We are far past the time of making vague comments on this issue. We need a clear-cut response.

Tens of thousands of people marched across Ireland this weekend. They had one simple demand which was that the Control of Economic Activity (Occupied Territories) Bill 2018 be passed. If we do go into an election in the next week or two, the clear message for all to see is that this Government of Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and the Greens refuses to pass the occupied territories Bill. It is not good enough from the point of view of humanity. There is no legal impediment to passing the Bill. What is lacking so far is the political will of Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael to actually do what the people of Ireland want to see done and see the occupied territories Bill passed. Again, I want to have a debate with the Tánaiste before this particular Parliament ends, if possible.

The second issue to raise is-----