Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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63. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will report on his efforts to ensure that international journalists will have access to Gaza, Palestine; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4284/25]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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We have seen throughout this conflict the vital role played by media, both domestic and international, in ensuring public scrutiny of actions taken by combatants. It is vital in my view that journalists are permitted sufficient access to allow for effective reporting and this is an issue that Ireland has repeatedly raised over recent months.

I am acutely aware of the dire situation faced by civilians in Gaza, including journalists. The ceasefire and hostage release deal is a welcome and long-awaited development, and it is now vital that this agreement is implemented in full in the coming weeks. It would be right and proper that this should facilitate significantly increased access to Gaza for journalists and the media.

Ireland is strongly committed to the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression. It is an essential component of a healthy democracy. Media must be allowed to witness what is happening, and journalists play a crucial role in meeting the public’s need for information from diverse sources.

I am conscious that journalists in situations of armed conflict often face extreme danger. The conflict in Gaza has been a particularly deadly one for journalists and media workers, with the Committee to Protect Journalists reporting that 169 journalists have been killed in Gaza, the West Bank and Lebanon since 7 October 2023. This is unacceptable. Journalists are afforded protection under international humanitarian law because they are civilians. Deliberate attacks against journalists are forbidden.

Internationally, Ireland is active in a wide variety of fora on the issue of media freedom in the Palestine, including through its membership of the Media Freedom Coalition and the UN Group of Friends for the Projection of Journalists.