Laura Harmon (Labour)

As we approach the all-Ireland finals I take this opportunity to wish the Cork hurlers well on Sunday. It is deeply saddening we have a group of 33 young GAA players and 14 mentors from Palestine trying to come to Ireland to play and participate in hurling in this country but they are being denied visas. The Minister for justice needs to give an explanation to the House on this. We need to do everything we can in our power as a country to culturally, socially, economically and politically isolate Israel. We need to build links where we can with the Palestinian people when it comes to sport, culture and the arts. I met the Palestinian ambassador this morning as part of the Oireachtas friends of Palestine group. It is certainly something we need to build on.

It would be very useful for the House to hear from the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science on what is happening at third level and in our universities. A lot of work is happening on building links with academics in Palestine and those in institutions there. It would be good to see how this can be strengthened and how we can build on it. The Oireachtas committee on foreign affairs is meeting today and it is important that we ensure services are included in the occupied territories Bill and that we get it passed as soon as possible. What is happening in the world today is absolutely grotesque. There is a genocide happening. It is being televised and we see it every day. It needs to stop. It is absolutely damaging our humanity and our ability to call ourselves human in this world if we cannot do everything in our power to stop this.