Seán Crowe (Dublin South West, Sinn Fein)
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36. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if his attention has been drawn to the fact that four EU countries - Britain, France, Italy and Spain - summoned the Israeli ambassador to their respective countries to hear their protests against Israel's latest announcement of new illegal settlement building in Palestine; and if he has, or is planning to, summons the Israeli ambassador to Ireland to protest this latest settlement building announcement. [3244/14]

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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Other than where a common EU action is agreed, it is a matter for each Member State to decide for itself what means or diplomatic signals it wishes to employ to make a particular point. This might take into account, inter alia, their previous actions on the same subject or previous engagement with the same country. It does not therefore follow that if another EU partner decides to summon an Ambassador over an issue, that Ireland should do the same. The opposite is also true: we would not necessarily be deterred from doing so, because no other partner has yet done so.

It is frequently suggested, in the House or elsewhere, that a given Ambassador should be called in for a particular reason. Calling in Ambassadors is one of many types of diplomatic messaging, and a serious one, but its impact would be weakened if resorted to very frequently.

I have consistently made very clear the Government’s strong criticism of and opposition to settlements and settlement expansion, and I specifically criticised the recent Israeli announcement in the Dáil last week, during answers to Questions. The Israeli Government, and Israeli public opinion, are in no doubt whatever about our views on this issue.