Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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119. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade given his statement of 26 January 2024 when he recalled the commitment by Dáil Éireann to "strongly consider intervention" in the South Africa case at the ICJ, and stated that he had asked his officials to prepare legal advice for his consideration on an "urgent basis"; if he will brief Dáil Éireann on the detailed particulars of the legal advice he has sought; if he will provide that legal advice to Dáil Éireann; if he will outline a deadline for the State's decision regarding an intervention in the ICJ case, in the context of the slaughter of 30,000 Palestinians by Israel, the almost total destruction of civilian infrastructure and, now, the spread of famine and disease among a weak and vulnerable population; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7448/24]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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The Government is continuing its analysis of the legal and policy aspects of South Africa’s case under the Genocide Convention and is in ongoing contact with South Africa and other like-minded partners. We will take a decision on intervention once we have completed this comprehensive legal and policy analysis.

It is likely that we will not make a final decision on the matter until after South Africa files its written memorial. The reason we wait until the applicant, in this case South Africa, files its memorial, is so that we have a full understanding of the case the applicant is making.

This is exactly what we did in the Ukraine v Russiacase under the Genocide Convention, where we sought to intervene only after Ukraine had filed its memorial.

In the meantime, there are several other cases and investigations ongoing in respect of the situation in the occupied Palestinian territory. For instance, this week the Attorney General will appear before the ICJ in The Hague to set out Ireland’s legal analysis of the occupation and of issues related to Israeli policies and practices in the occupied Palestinian territory.

More broadly, it is clear that the most effective way to ease the enormous human suffering faced by the Palestinian people is to secure an immediate and lasting ceasefire, and to ensure sustained and effective humanitarian access in Gaza. This is a message I have delivered consistently to partners in Europe, in the US and in the Middle East, including in my meetings at the Munich Security Conference last weekend and the EU Foreign Affairs Council on Monday. In addition, it is key that UNRWA is able to continue its lifesaving work in Gaza, which is why we have committed a contribution of €20 million to help ease its current funding crisis.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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A public health disaster has been unfolding in Gaza in recent months. In addition to mass displacement of 85% of the population of Gaza, the World Health Organisation has confirmed that the healthcare system has largely collapsed as a result of the conflict.

As of 30 January, the WHO estimate that just 13 of 36 hospitals in Gaza were partially functioning. As of 10 February, only seven of UNRWA's 23 health centres were operational.

Health facilities are also facing acute shortages of supplies. This includes insulin, anaesthetics, antibiotics, and other medical supplies. It also includes the very basics - water, food, fuel, and electricity. Without power, medical equipment dependent on electricity cannot function.

This dire public health situation underlines the urgent need for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire, which Ireland has consistently called for. It also underlines the need for full, safe and unhindered humanitarian access into Gaza. The amount of assistance entering the strip has increased in recent weeks but remains completely inadequate. There is an urgent need for fuel, water, food and other humanitarian supplies, including medical supplies such as insulin and other medical supplies, to reach those in dire need. Such supplies should not be subject to restriction.

Ireland’s support to the people of Palestine, including development funding and the response to the war in Gaza amounted to €36 million in 2023. This included €18 million to UNRWA and €4.75 million to the UN OCHA Palestine Humanitarian Fund, which channels resources to key humanitarian partners on the ground, based on needs, and is active in life-saving sectors including health, shelter, food security and protection.

I met with the UNRWA Commissioner General, Philippe Lazzarini, in Dublin last week and discussed with him how Ireland can continue to support UNRWA's essential work, including through the provision of an additional €20 million to help to address its critical funding crisis.