Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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61. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his views on reports that Israel is further tightening restrictions on the Gaza Strip and thereby hampering the ability to provide aid to the densely populated territory; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31705/16]

Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael)
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The restrictions on Gaza, and the continuing need for reconstruction there, remain an important priority.

The broad trend has been for a slight relaxation of the restrictions on Gaza since the 2014 conflict, with an increase in deliveries into Gaza of about 53% in the first eight months of this year, over the 2015 level, as measured in truckloads. There was a similar increase in the very much smaller amount of goods allowed to be exported from Gaza. These increases are of course welcome, but they are too little, and the total remains far below the level before the restrictions were imposed in 2007.

These restrictions continue to impact on the daily needs of the population, to slow the essential reconstruction of houses and other structures following the 2014 conflict, and are completely inadequate to allow anything like normal economic activity in the Strip, without which of course the population remains almost entirely dependent on humanitarian aid.

Clearly, Israel has real and legitimate security concerns about attacks into its territory from Gaza, but we have made clear that a response of blanket restrictions on the entire population is not only unjustified but counterproductive.

I have seen recent reports that, while deliveries of reconstruction materials had significantly improved in the first half of this year, recent weeks have seen a slowdown in approvals for reconstruction projects and in deliveries. It is not yet clear if this is a change of policy or a temporary hiatus, as has happened before.

Ireland has consistently sought to ensure that the issue of Gaza remains on the international agenda, notwithstanding other crises in the region. I raised the issue myself with Prime Minister Netanyahu when I met him in June. We will continue to do so. Both the EU and the relevant UN agencies are fully engaged on the issue, and a slackening in deliveries of construction materials would be a very negative development, and a matter of serious concern.