When a democratic state arrests and detains someone, it is required to charge the person, present its evidence in an open trial, allow for a full defence and try to persuade an impartial judiciary of its obligations beyond a reasonable doubt. Administrative detention, as the Minister is well aware, in contrast allows a state to arrest and detain a person without charge, without a trial, without knowing the evidence against him or her and without a fair judicial review. In violation of international law, more than 6…

The Minister is well aware that several Palestinians in administrative detention have gone on prolonged hunger strike in protest, with many developing lifelong health issues. One individual, Khalil Awawdeh, is in his 69th day of hunger strike. He was detained on 27 December 2021 and placed in administrative detention without charge or trial based on secret evidence. The international community is failing utterly in not acting in a coherent manner regarding breaches of international law and human rights, neither of …

Get on with the question.

I will support the Bill. Much can be said of the historical antecedents that have been used to underpin the principle of neutrality and the strong currents of support that neutrality has enjoyed in this country. They provide a strong foundation for contemporary arguments in favour of military neutrality. Today we take our place in a world that exists amid a geopolitical storm. The rules that have traditionally provided stability and order for the international system have been torn asunder by Russia’s invasion of U…

I express solidarity with the Ukrainian people. I warmly welcome the many thousands of Ukrainians who have fled to Ireland to seek protection. I recognise the warmth, generosity of spirit and community involvement exhibited right across the island of Ireland towards those Ukrainian citizens, primarily women and children, who have sought refuge. The response of the Irish has to be commended. I include the efforts of people such as Colette Talbot, Nicole Browne and David Whyte from my county, Wicklow. They have just …

Today marks the one month anniversary of the illegal and brutal invasion and occupation of Ukraine by Russia. Will the Minister outline the current situation and our response to the humanitarian crisis that, unfortunately, is unfolding? Will he also outline what actions we are taking to push for a peaceful resolution to the horrific, barbaric war being inflicted on the Ukrainian people?

I wish to be associated with the Minister's comments about Mr. Jim Kelly. My party leader, Deputy McDonald, earlier this week expressed our condolences to Mr. Kelly's family and his colleagues, including our team in the UN. I welcome the actions taken by the Government in the response to Ukraine, although we could and should be stronger in many areas. On 5 March, Russia categorised Ireland as being an unfriendly country, along with a number of other countries. What assessment has been carried out and what threat do…

I would be interested to hear what our response is to the four other European countries that have moved to expel the diplomats, so I will listen with interest in that regard. The other major fallout of this grotesque and illegal war is the humanitarian crisis that is unfolding. Last week, the Ukrainian ambassador appeared before the Joint Committee on European Union Affairs and she cited the experience in Poland with an Irish company. She alleged Ryanair is ratcheting up prices to profiteer on the back of refugees …

I asked a question about diplomats

In February, Amnesty International published its report, Israel’s Apartheid against Palestinians: Cruel System of Domination and Crime against Humanity. This follows a number of publications from other human rights organisations, such as Human Rights Watch, Al-Haq and B'Tselem. There is also support from organisations such as Trócaire, Concern, Christian Aid and virtually every other NGO in Ireland and internationally. Will the Minister now accept the compelling evidence presented by this report and others that Isr…

It is not a matter of using language for the sake of using language. Words have meaning and meaning must lead to action. The reports that have been published are also echoed by a recent report from the UN Special Rapporteur on the rights of Palestinians in the occupied territories, Michael Lynk. To use his language, "Israel has imposed on Palestine an apartheid reality in a post-apartheid world." He goes on to say that "this system of alien rule has been established with the intent to maintain the domination of one…

The Minister has also said that to use the word "apartheid" to describe these actions would not be helpful. I am not sure who he believes it would not be helpful to because it certainly would be helpful to Palestinians who have been calling out this apartheid regime for decades. I am not sure how many more decades the Minister is prepared to sit and wait before taking on the illegal actions of Israel. This report and numerous others have called for action. The use of the word "apartheid" is one but there are others…

There are many legal opinions to the contrary.

The war in Yemen is appalling. Over 370,000 Yemenis have lost their lives, including over 10,000 children. We see some of our allies selling arms, with the UK in 2021 authorising sales of weapons to Saudi Arabia of £1.4 billion, and the US in November with $650 million in authorised weapons sales to Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia's involvement is central to this horrific and brutal war on the Yemeni people. Will the Minister condemn Saudi Arabia's actions in Yemen? Will he also clarify for the record when the Tánaiste …

I have yet to hear the Minister condemn the actions of Saudi Arabia. I call on all international players to pull out, lay off and stop their involvement in and support for the conflict in Yemen, including Iran. However, Saudi Arabia is directly involved in dropping bombs on innocent Yemeni people. I ask the Minister to condemn that. I also ask him to clarify the following, about which there seems to be some confusion. When the Tánaiste was over wining and dining with the Saudi Arabian regime, it is alleged he raise…

It might be helpful if the Minister answered the real question as to whether the human rights abuses were raised.

Today we are forced to watch on at the Russian attempt to grind the sovereign State of Ukraine into submission. The unspeakable horrors being experienced by the Ukrainian people have shaken the global community to the core. The ongoing tragedy for Ukraine is that, as the Russian strategy becomes clearer and its depravity more apparent, Mariupol will not be the only city that will come under this onslaught. Its name now sits along with Guernica, Dresden and countless other sites of suffering in modern consciousness …

Following the publication of the long-awaited report of the Commission on the Defence Forces, what is the timeline for its implementation? Key elements of it need to be implemented immediately, given the pressures relating to pay talks. I again ask the Minister to outline the implementation of the report. What will be the make-up of the implementation body, which will be instrumental in rolling out and implementing key elements?

I also welcome the publication of the report. There are key recommendations in it that will go a long way towards addressing the major challenges of pay and retention in the Defence Forces, for which staffing levels are thousands below where the establishment figure should be. One of the key recommendations, which the Minister has been asked about a number of times now, including by me, is to implement associate affiliation to the Irish Congress of Trade Unions, ICTU, of representative organisations. The pressure i…

I again ask the Minister to show some goodwill. That court case was initiated because of his failure, and that of the Government, to deal with the key issues in the Defence Forces. They are prepared to withdraw their court case, but the Minister needs to demonstrate goodwill in the first instance because if they withdraw that case, they cannot resubmit it. The Minister needs to be very clear to them that this is a key recommendation and is key to addressing the major challenges and shortcomings in the Defence Force…