They might not like the fact that the Palestinian Authority has decided not to-----

It is the case that the Palestinian Authority has not decided to take, or at least my advice is that it has not taken, a case as an injured party.

If I am incorrect on that, I am happy to clarify. Again, there are interruptions when uncomfortable facts are put across.

Just on genocide, I think, or at least I hope, we all agree in this House that the Holocaust, the Shoah, was a genocide.

Hitler killed 6 million people and he would have killed another 3 million to 6 million people if he could have. Deputy Boyd Barrett takes the view that the killing of 15,000 people in Gaza is a genocide, and it would appear that they intend to kill many more. I will ask this question, however, and I think it is a reasonable one to ask. Is what Hamas has done to Israel not also genocidal?

Hamas went into Israel, killed 1,400 people, including women and children, and took people hostage. They would have killed many more if they had the chance. I have no doubt that Hamas would kill as many people in Israel as it possibly could if it was given the chance and had the weapons. Why is that not a genocide? Is 1,400 people not enough?

I move: That Dáil Éireann has confidence in the Minister for Justice, Helen McEntee TD. We will debate a lot of things over the next two hours, but I want to reiterate that our thoughts are first and foremost with the schoolchildren and their carer who were so brutally and senselessly attacked last Thursday week. Two remain in hospital this evening and we hope they make a recovery. I also want to restate my gratitude to those who risked their lives to save other lives and to thank the gardaí and front-line, council…

I would like to make a point of order.

It is a point of order. The leader of the Opposition has quite disgracefully misled the Dáil.

There was contact from the Government with the school within 24 hours of the events.

Several Ministers did so. She knows that. It is deliberate misleading and it should be withdrawn.

I call on her to be decent for once and to withdraw it.

Deputy McDonald knows it is not. It is absolutely disgraceful behaviour.

It should be withdrawn.

It is extraordinary.

Last Thursday, we experienced two appalling acts of violence on our streets. First, the stabbing of several children and their carer, two of whom remain in hospital as we speak. They are stable, but critical and we pray for their recovery. Second, an ugly far-right protest on our streets led to a riot, looting and serious criminal damage. These events were shocking and unacceptable. It was an attack on the rule of law and there is and will be a robust response from An Garda Síochána and the Government. We need to m…

I believe Deputy McDonald is not listening. She is not listening to parents. She is not listening to Dubliners. She is not listening to citizens all over the country. They do not want to hear her playing politics when it comes to an important issue like this.

They are not interested in that. They do not want to see her trying to score points and improve her poll ratings or looking for heads. What they want is action from the Government so they feel safe on our streets. I want people to be safe and feel safe on our streets. That is why we are responding with more gardaí, better equipment for our gardaí and stronger laws. All of those things are happening under the Minister, Deputy McEntee, and we will continue and accelerate that action.

I thank the Deputy for raising Gaelscoil Choláiste Mhuire, the childcare facility nearby which the children were being brought to and the people who intervened to help stop the attack on Thursday. Many more people would have been injured and perhaps killed had those brave people not gone with their instincts and intervened in the way they did. All of us send our solidarity to Gaelscoil Chólaiste Mhuire and the childcare facility concerned. I had the opportunity to ring the owner of the childcare facility and speak …

Deputy Bacik has suggested an independent review by the Garda Síochána Inspectorate. We will give consideration to that. It may well be a very good idea. I do not want to commit to it on the hoof on the floor of the House but I will certainly give it consideration. I thank the Deputy for her constructive remarks. She is absolutely right that accountability is required. Before we jump to any judgment on what happened on Thursday night and on whether there were errors on behalf of the Garda, the Minister or the Commi…