Thomas Byrne (Meath East, Fianna Fail)

We are keeping in contact with our Spanish colleagues. We have a very close connection with them but the idea that an Irish ship would go to the location is simply not tenable, neither practically nor under the law. It never was possible and would not happen. In fairness, our Spanish colleagues have been keeping in very close contact with us.

For quite some time, Ireland has been seeking the suspension of the association agreement with Israel, which is what the Senator is asking for in light of the fact that agreement establishes the main relationship between Israel and the EU. That is now on the agenda but it does need a qualified majority of member states to agree to it. I strongly urge the Senator to engage with her colleagues in member states that do not agree with us to try to get them to change their minds.

The problem is not the Irish Government, because it has been leading the way. I am not saying this to boast but it is a fact. Ireland has been working with the Spanish – the Senator quoted the Spanish Minister – to try to get the EU position to change. Ms Kaja Kallas, as EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, and effectively the spokesperson on foreign policy for the member states, is the person who speaks on behalf of the EU on these matters. The Tánaiste was in touch with her this morning, presumably making some of the same points the Senator made, including to the effect that the EU should be speaking out on this. Her constraint is that she has to make sure she represents all the member states. To be fair to her, she has been quite outspoken on this issue, and it was her office that made the determination on the human rights violation. Therefore, she has been engaging on this; however, again, she is subject to the constraints that the EU has. Those are constraints that we have supported over the years. With foreign policy, we do not want qualified majority voting; we want to have unanimity. We have all fought for this in various referendums. Unfortunately, there is a constraint that I wish were not in place in this instance. However, at EU level we have seen progress and developments. We have settlement goods legislation, following from Senator Black's proposals some years ago. Other member states are now looking for this. They are also looking for action on it at EU level.

We thought we had sanctions agreed against a number of Ministers and violent settlers. One or two member states stopped those sanctions last week, but the discussion and engagement continues. This is happening every single day in the Council building in Brussels, where we are trying to reach agreement with other member states. I assure the Senators that our voice is as strong as any in persuading other member states to adopt our view and implement the various measures, some of which President von der Leyen set out in her state of the Union address and in the proposals that the Commission came up with some weeks ago. We are working really hard to try to persuade other member states in this regard.

Ireland's voice is really strong and will continue to be so. It reflects the public view in this country. I assure everybody that we will continue to express it. I completely agree that what is happening is illegal. While I realise it felt like the diplomatic efforts to protect our citizens, which is our fundamental duty as a State, were pooh-poohed, diplomatic efforts on the ground in Israel are very important. So too are our connections with the Spanish and other governments and EU offices to ensure we can protect, to the greatest extent possible, the safety of our citizens.I assure the House that the Government is doing absolutely everything to achieve that.

That work will continue and I wish safety for everybody. Essentially, we want to get Senator Andrews and all those colleagues home. That is the first thing. The rules are not the same there. They do not follow the type of rules we have in our Constitution and the European Convention on Human Rights; they are not the same. That is why the Taoiseach suggested the other day that it was dangerous. We want to make sure we get people out and get them home, and yes, as Senator Ruane called for passionately, to put an end to this genocide, put as much pressure on as possible and to use the leverage the EU has, and which it has demonstrated it has. I strongly urge Senators to engage with members of the upper house in other European countries that are not on the same page as us and to try to persuade them to persuade their governments. Those governments are feeling pressure, particularly from young people right across their countries and the European Union, and opinion is changing in some of those countries. That pressure has led to some progress around the European Union table but nowhere near enough.

That work continues and I certainly hope everybody who is on the various boats and vessels can get home safely. The Irish Government will do absolutely everything in its power to make sure they do.