I warmly welcome the release of the Irish-Israeli child, Emily Hand, who was kidnapped and held hostage by Hamas. Her release and the escape of Irish citizens from Gaza into Egypt represents a triumph for diplomacy. The Tánaiste visited Israel, Egypt and the occupied Palestinian territories. As he has said, our embassies in Cairo and Tel Aviv, our representative in Ramallah, and the officials from the Department of Foreign Affairs worked day and night to bring about this result. We owe them sincere thanks for the w…

I want to extend the question by asking about the remarks in recent days by the Israeli President and foreign minister in respect of the current crisis and Ireland's position. They are difficult to understand. Is it not the case that what we have looked for is a humanitarian ceasefire, adherence to international humanitarian law and respect for fundamental human rights by state and non-state actors? We have highlighted the humanitarian crisis unfolding in Gaza and the number of civilian casualties, including many c…

Ireland has enjoyed close economic, social and cultural ties with the French Republic for many years. Some 225 years ago in the Year of the French, French forces came to our aid in the 1798 rebellion, as the Taoiseach referred to. There are now 30,000 French citizens living and working in Ireland. It is therefore appropriate and timely to review the co-operation agreement between our two countries, which was signed in 2021. I welcome the plans announced to enhance energy co-operation, business links and cultural ti…

The appalling knife attack on three innocent children and a care worker in Parnell Square last Thursday shocked and horrified us all. What followed in the hours after that shocked us even further. Far-right activists descended on the city centre to spew out their vile message of division and fear. Others took advantage of the situation in order to engage in unprecedented looting and vandalism. I want to focus on the Garda response to these riots. Gardaí at the scene acted with heroic bravery, but it is clear that t…

That arrangement has been overtaken by events. Deputy Crowe has the full 11 minutes.

When the report of the consultative forum on international security policy was published in October, my initial reaction was to wonder what all the fuss was about. When the forum was established, a storm of controversy erupted. We were told that this was all part of a sinister plot by the Government to commence the process for Ireland to join NATO. The chairperson, Professor Louise Richardson was criticised, including by people who should have known better, and protesters attempted to disrupt the panel discussions.…

I thank the Taoiseach for his comprehensive report on his visit to South Korea. South Korea is the world's 12th largest economy and the fourth largest economy in Asia. His visit, along with three other Ministers, as part of a Team Ireland trade mission was important for establishing new trade and education links between our countries. Last month, the Tánaiste launched Ireland's updated strategy, Global Ireland: Delivering in the Asia Pacific Region to 2025. The trade mission was timely in that context. The Taoiseac…

I would like to ask about the progress on the Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Act. As the Taoiseach knows, this legislation will replace current methods of criminal and civil investigations and inquests with inquiries carried out by the new Independent Commission for Reconciliation and Information Recovery. It will have the power to offer conditional amnesties. The Act effectively tears up the relevant provisions of the Stormont House Agreement. The Council of Europe has stated the Act breache…

What is happening now in Gaza following the brutal attacks by Hamas a month ago is truly shocking. Daily Israeli bombardments have resulted in the deaths of thousands of civilians, including many children, which is clearly a breach of international law. It is a humanitarian catastrophe and we must do everything possible to bring it to an end. The European Council struggled to agree a compromise wording on the situation. Ireland was right to look for a ceasefire but the final statement included a call for a humanita…

The Northern Ireland Assembly elections were held on 5 May last year. As we know, the Democratic Unionist Party, DUP, by blocking the appointment of a speaker prevented the assembly from functioning, which, in turn, prevented the establishment of an executive. Meanwhile, the everyday problems in the North continue to get worse. Hospitals waiting lists are twice as long as they are in the South. Lough Neagh becomes more and more polluted. There are serious concerns about the budget in Northern Ireland. Deputy Tóibín…

We are aware that the European Political Community platform is an initiative of French President Emmanuel Macron. The idea was to bring all European states together, and not just those in the European Union. It has been a useful forum for networking, as we just heard from the Taoiseach, but it does put the focus on the proposed enlargement of the European Union. Consideration is now being given to expanding the EU from 27 to 35 member states or more: I think of the western Balkans, Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia in t…

Unfortunately, the EU was found wanting when it came to the recent horrific events in Israel and Gaza. It is also found wanting when it comes to the ongoing Palestinian question. The actions of the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, in the immediate aftermath of the terrorist attack by Hamas on Israel on 7 October have been well analysed at this stage. She initially expressed her unambiguous support for Israel by visiting the country and in a number of other symbolic ways, while making no r…

This year, we mark the centenary of Ireland's accession to the League of Nations, which was the first step in Ireland truly taking its place among the nations of the world and clearly demonstrated our commitment to a rules-based international order. The challenges facing the United Nations today were clearly on display at the General Assembly last month. Four of the five leaders of the permanent members did not intend. Those were the leaders of France, the UK, China and, of course, Russia. The Secretary-General, An…

The sudden escalation in violence in the Middle East on 7 October began with the horrific attacks by Hamas in Israel resulting in the deaths of over 1,400 people. I condemn these attacks unreservedly. The brutal Hamas attacks involved the deliberate targeting of civilians and the taking of hostages including children and displayed utter disregard for human life. It is hard to believe that human beings can do such barbaric things to fellow human beings. We are all clear that Israel had the right to defend itself but…

Shane O'Farrell from Carrickmacross was tragically knocked down and killed while cycling near his home in Carrickmacross on 2 August 2011. He was aged 23 and had just completed his final year law exams. The driver, Zigimantas Gridziuska, should have been in prison at the time, and since then the O'Farrell family has campaigned tirelessly to uncover all of the facts concerning the circumstances surrounding his tragic death. It has to be said that the State and its institutions did not make this task easy for them, a…

The meeting between the EU and Latin American and Caribbean states was a welcome development. Given the current geopolitical situation, the EU needs friends at this time. The risks posed by Russia and China are something of which the EU is very much aware. Many interesting snippets emerged from the summit last July. For example, we learned that the UK was unhappy that the final ten-page declaration contained a reference to the Islas Malvinas, or Falkland Islands, at the insistence of Argentina, so the fall-out from…

I thank the Taoiseach. A wide range of issues were obviously discussed at the European Council meeting, including the major global challenge of migration. As we know, an agreement was reached by the justice ministers on 8 June in respect of the central elements of the asylum and migration pact, using qualified majority voting. The aim of this agreement is to put in place a common procedure for the processing of applications for international protection, to establish mandatory border procedures, and to adopt a flexi…

I draw attention to the European Movement Ireland poll for 2023 that was published last week. The poll shows that 88% of respondents in the Republic of Ireland believe we should remain in the EU. I would say this figure is one of the highest percentages across EU member states. Of interest as well was that only 9% of the respondents in the Republic of Ireland and 14% in Northern Ireland believed that Northern Ireland has been doing better since Brexit. In fact, 66% of respondents in Northern Ireland believed it has…

It is great the Taoiseach was able to welcome the Prime Minister of Luxembourg, Xavier Bettel, to Dublin recently. The Prime Minister is a great friend of Ireland ever since he studied here as a student learning English in Malahide in north Dublin. I heard him speak at a conference of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe, ALDE, Renew Europe group in the convention centre last year and confirmed that he was really popular among the delegates who attended. It is clear from the Taoiseach's meeting that Ir…

I want to say a few words on the consultative forum on international security policy now that it has concluded. Certainly, I found the discussions and debates very interesting and informative. Thankfully, those who tried to disrupt it did not succeed and the wider public got a chance to consider the issues that now must be addressed. In fact, you would have to wonder what all the fuss was about. I spoke in the Dáil debate on the forum, held on 18 May last, and made the following points. There are clearly new and em…