Mary Fitzpatrick (Fianna Fail)

We awoke this morning to the continuing, distressing news from Gaza. It is almost impossible to listen, watch and witness the wilful, deliberate starvation and murder of innocent people in Gaza. We also have the news today of the shooting in Washington D.C. and the two deceased there. Obviously, I offer all of our condolences and sympathies to those who knew and loved those two innocent individuals in Washington D.C. However, more than 50,000 men, women and children have lost their lives in Gaza. It is continuing as we stand or sit here. Our inability to effect any change in Israel's wilful, deliberate killing of innocent people is incredibly distressing.

We all welcome the announcement from Ms Kaja Kallas to review the EU-Israel agreement, but it is just not enough. We, as a European nation and a country that will take the European Presidency in 2026, must insist on an immediate suspension of the EU-Israel agreement. Anything short of that is meaningless. We must insist that Europe act as one, take greater authority and use our relationships internationally, with the UN and others, to achieve an immediate ceasefire and the provision and access of humanitarian aid. It is humanitarian aid - the most basic aid - that we should be insisting be released into Gaza. Anything short of that is just not good enough. I have raised it many times but we raise it again and every day we need to insist until there is some change in the situation.

On a completely local issue, I am sure many Senators met the post office masters yesterday. It is an issue I have raised a number of times in this and the previous Seanad. It is only two weeks ago that I was calling for a debate with the Minister on the future of the post office network. I would appreciate if the Deputy Leader could get a date from the Minister for that.

I welcome and congratulate all of the recipients of the community heritage funding of €1.9 million that was announced this morning. The individuals who give their time voluntarily in all of our communities to protect and champion our heritage need to be congratulated, and I do that this morning.