I agree with the call for a ceasefire for reasons I have outlined in the past. If there is a ceasefire, it is important it be honoured by all sides, including Israel, Hamas, Islamic Jihad and other protagonists in this conflict. It would allow aid to get in, citizens of this and other countries to get out and perhaps for peace talks to begin. In relation to the International Criminal Court, there is already an investigation under way. It has been under way for several years now. Referring Israel to the Internationa…

-----the correct approach.

Those are the two reasons the Government thinks Sinn Féin's proposal would be of no use and would be unbalanced. What we are going to do is to provide an additional €3 million to the International Criminal Court. This will be of practical assistance and help it to gather the evidence and to carry out any prosecutions necessary. I reiterate the Government's condemnation, without equivocation, of Hamas's terrorist attack on Israel on 7 October, which began this phase of the conflict. They sought to kill and torture a…

-----to be observed by all sides so the killing can stop, aid can get in, hostages can be released and our citizens can get out. We also need a new peace process, one that ensures Palestinians control Gaza once this phase of the conflict is over and one that is based on a two-state solution. We do not have agreement at EU level when it comes to much in relation to this conflict, but we do at long last have clear agreement from all EU member states that there should be a two-state solution. For far too long, Europea…

I have explained the position. This is not the same as Ukraine. An investigation is already under way in respect of potential war crimes-----

May I speak?

May I speak?

It is a very clear and consistent approach from Sinn Féin towards the Government, towards other Opposition parties and towards the media, namely, to shout them down or sue them. This is a Parliament, this is a democracy and I am going to be heard.

It is a serious issue, so may I be heard without being threatened with legal action or being shouted down? Would that be possible? This is still a democracy, Deputy, and I am not going to let you take away our democracy through your threats or your activities. I can guarantee you that. May I speak?

Thank you. I have explained the situation very clearly. This is not the same as Ukraine because an investigation into potential Israeli war crimes in the Palestinian territories is already under way. That is the position. We support that investigation, we provide millions in funding to the International Criminal Court in order that it can gather the evidence and take prosecutions into the future, and I very much hope that happens.

Deputy and a Cheann Comhairle, on a point of information, nobody will be denied a vote whatsoever. This is a democratic Parliament and a democratic country. People are allowed to put down amendments and have votes on those amendments before the substantive vote, and the Deputy's party does that all the time. To try to suggest that is some sort of denial of a vote is deeply disingenuous and deeply wrong, and I want to call out the Deputy on that attempt at disinformation. The first group of Irish citizens and depend…

-----and that is not an approach that works in international affairs.

He is an author of the Good Friday Agreement. It was in that context he said it, by the way. You have to make sure you use your influence in a way that is effective, not in a way that just makes you look good on telly or in front of protestors. That is not how you conduct grown-up politics or international affairs. On the humanitarian clause the Deputy mentioned, I will make inquiries about it and seek legal advice on it.

I tried in my earlier response to Deputy McDonald to explain what we are trying to do. For the first time, there is clear agreement across 27 member states in the European Union that the only solution to this conflict is a two-state solution. Ireland has a role to play in making sure the EU presses for this, advocates for it and makes this the end to the conflict in the area. We can do that. For far too long, we have provided aid to the Palestinians without requiring that they embrace democracy and human rights and…

We must work with our allies and not hector them. The Deputy's approach again is to hector me.

That is how she would behave at a European Council meeting. She would go in, hector people, point the finger, leave early, do a press release and big press conference, make herself look good but ultimately would achieve nothing for us------

-----nothing for Ireland and nothing for the Palestinians.

Under this Government, there are record levels of spending and investment in healthcare. Spending on healthcare will increase next year, not go down. There are also record levels of staff working in our health service. There are 20,000 more staff than there were when this Government came into office, including 6,000 extra nurses and midwives and about 2,000 extra doctors and dentists. Those are the facts. They are producing results. Waiting lists, which peaked after the pandemic, are now falling. They are down by a…

That is the vision the Deputy has for Ireland, which I hope never comes to pass. On ICU beds, it is an area in which the Government has been very active in the past three years. We increased the number of ICU beds considerably since the pandemic and will continue to do so. That programme will not be adversely affected in the next year. As everyone will understand in this House, it is not just about a bed or the equipment; it is about being able to staff it. That means nurses with full ICU qualifications, anaestheti…

I thank the Deputy. I am very sorry to hear about that lady's experience. It is impossible for me to comment on any individual case without having all of the details. Complex surgery requires a lot of resources, staff and theatre time and ICU beds to be available.