Maureen O'Sullivan (Dublin Central, Independent)
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654. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will condemn, and make Ireland's views known at European Union level regarding, the serious reports (details supplied) that Israeli authorities illegally bulldozed temporary shelters for Palestinians in East Jerusalem which were funded by the European Union, particularly in view of the discussions in Brussels recently regarding the trend of Israel destroying hundreds of millions of euro of aid from the European Union to the Palestinian people, if he will make Ireland's position on this serious matter known. [14300/15]

Charles Flanagan (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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Ireland has consistently condemned the dispossession and eviction of Palestinian people in order to clear land for Israeli settlements. This is clearly contrary to international law.We have also consistently made this clear at EU level, and urged stronger action to oppose this policy.

The report cited by the Deputy in relation to Bedouin communities in East Jerusalem is part of this general pattern, although in this case the stated basis for eviction was that the area is in a national park.

The EU has consistently condemned these policies, most recently in the Conclusions of the Foreign Affairs Council in November 2014.

Maureen O'Sullivan (Dublin Central, Independent)
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655. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will use the upcoming Foreign Affairs Council, FAC, to raise the deplorable situation in Gaza and the way six months on from the ceasefire, rebuilding in the latter has not begun; if he will oblige the European Union to put pressure on Israel to completely lift the blockade of Gaza; if he will request the European Union to put pressure on Egypt to remove restrictions on the border with Gaza at Rafah; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14301/15]

Charles Flanagan (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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Ireland will continue to press, at EU level and elsewhere, to maintain focus on the need both to reconstruct Gaza and to work to break the cycle of violence which has operated there. The EU has consistently called for the opening of Gaza, and a broad change of Israeli policies there, most recently in the Conclusions of the Foreign Affairs Council in November last. I made these points directly to the Israeli Foreign Minister during my visit to the region in February.

During my visit, I saw for myself the huge humanitarian needs in Gaza. Some reconstruction has indeed begun. UN agencies have to date been concentrating on the huge task of clearing rubble to allow for new building to take place, and in the meantime in repairing houses which were damaged but not destroyed. At the time of my visit, more than 47,000 people had obtained repair materials for their homes through the Gaza Reconstruction Mechanism. I was pleased to announce Irish funding of €4.7 million for UNRWA and the UN’s Emergency Response Fund in the course of my visit.

Clearly, more needs to be done in all these areas – for donors to make good on their pledges, for increased supply of construction materials into Gaza, and ultimately for the opening of Gaza to normal trade and movement.

I do urge the Egyptian Government to try to keep the Rafah crossing point open as much as possible. However, we must recognize that Egypt is fighting a growing insurgency in northern Sinai, some of which they believe has links to groups in Gaza, and their own security is at present their priority concern. This was underlined by the attacks in Sinai which killed at least 14 Egyptian police, soldiers and civilians on Sunday, including a bomb attack in El Arish, the city and port directly outside Gaza. I offer our condolences to the families of all those killed or injured.