Alison Comyn (Fianna Fail)

I second the motion. I say that with pride. I am absolutely behind Senator O'Loughlin and her words today. I thank the Cathaoirleach and the Minister of State for coming here today. I could not agree more that there are very pressing issues in our country today, but we simply cannot ignore what is happening in Gaza. We are seeing images and report every day of families torn apart, children dying of hunger and entire neighbourhoods reduced to rubble. It represents an absolute outrage that none of us can ignore any more.

What is happening before our eyes is definitely and undoubtedly war, but it is also famine. It is the collective punishment of an already desperate population in Gaza and in Palestine. I am absolutely horrified. I have said this before. I have stood here and spoken as a mother and a former journalist and said that we have to take immediate action. The suffering that is being inflicted on the people of Gaza cannot be sustained any longer. The United Nations commission of inquiry has found that Israel is committing genocide against Palestine. It is a stark and damning conclusion. It places a duty on every single one of us, as legislators, human beings, mums and dads, brothers and sisters, to speak out and to act.

This motion, which I wholeheartedly support, rightly calls for an immediate and lasting ceasefire, for humanitarian aid to flow freely and safely and for the unconditional release of all hostages. These are basic building blocks of the human decency that we need to provide and for international law.

I am proud that the Government and in particular my party, Fianna Fáil, has shown very consistent and principled leadership throughout the crisis. Ireland formally recognised the State of Palestine in May of last year, standing with the international community in calling for a genuine two-state solution. We have consistently called at the UN, the EU, every forum available and every platform on which we have spoken, for the protection of civilians, access to humanitarian aid and an end to what we are seeing on a daily basis. We have always provided significant humanitarian support to the region, even as we continue to press for safe corridors and protection of all convoys.

The Government has committed to legislating for the occupied territories Bill, following the International Court of Justice advisory opinion. We are sending a clear signal that we will not allow economic support for illegal settlements. We have a proud tradition in this country of multilateral diplomacy and peace building. In this moment of despair - because nobody can look at this right across the world and not feel despair and a certain amount of helplessness, while people are turning to us for the answers and the solutions – we must use every single tool at our disposal to champion international law on humanitarian access and the ultimate peace we all seek.

This motion is about much more than the words that are on the pieces of paper; it is about confirming our collective will that Ireland will not stand idly by while these children starve and all these civilians are massacred. It is about calling for the world to act, to join together to recognise Palestine, and to enforce international law. We need to create the conditions, which were started a long time ago, but that are not being enacted, for peace. I wholeheartedly support this motion. I urge all Senators to do the same today.