The Deputy's party should reduce them in the North.

The Deputy's party should reduce them in the North.

You are reading last year's speech.

You are out of ideas. This is our 16th budget.

I thank all Members across the House for agreeing to the change to the Dáil schedule and facilitating this debate on the concerning developments regarding the Global Sumud Flotilla. I know that everyone’s overriding concern is for the safety and welfare of our Irish citizens who are on a mission of solidarity with the people of Palestine. This House, the Oireachtas and our people across the country are united in this solidarity. Indeed, we are united today in our urgent wish that no harm should come to those who bo…

I too spoke to Senator Andrews, at the Deputy's request, the other day. I have kept in contact with him in recent days. I had the opportunity to meet some of the families here the other day when we had the all-party motion in the Dáil, as did our head of consular services and the Minister of State with responsibility for international aid, Deputy Richmond. My understanding is that there are 16 Irish citizens in the current part of the flotilla. He is right about the number 22. I was teasing through this - there is …

I am sorry but I forgot to answer the Deputy's specific question about injuries. We have no reports of any injuries to Irish citizens. I am very conscious of the volatile and dangerous environment. We have no information on any injuries. Our head of consular services has been in regular contact with the point of co-ordination for the flotilla – someone familiar to both of us. We have also made a decision to put in place a dedicated contact point for families. That contact point is now in place. I believe the contac…

The first priority is the Irish citizens who are detained and the absolute priority alongside that is to keep their families informed about any information we have. We are working closely with the families and trying to keep the lines of communication open. I have shared all of the information we have available and I and my Department will continue to do so. It is an evolving situation. My understanding, having been briefed again this morning by our ambassador, is that once people are brought to a detention centre,…

Yes, I do. I spoke with my Spanish counterpart this morning in relation to this. The full answer I should give is that we are determining all of the facts at the moment in an evolving situation. I am very clear that peace activists trying to highlight a humanitarian catastrophe and bring aid to the people of Gaza were apprehended and detained by Israeli authorities. As I commented earlier, and in a statement issued with 14 other European countries in recent days, we will consider all actions available under interna…

Yes, we recognise the State of Palestine. We are now one of more than 150 countries globally to do so. I think Deputy Ó Laoghaire understood me, but I have been very clear in the statements I have issued on behalf of the Irish Government with 14 other European countries that international law matters, it has to be upheld, and there has to be accountability. What I am saying very much mirrors what my Spanish counterpart said in recent hours, which I discussed with him, that there is an important sequencing to this. …

I say this very respectfully: I am very open to hearing suggestions from across this House and from all parliaments about what actions they believe the Government should be taking that we are not. In recent days people suggested that we join the Spanish ship, for example. I do not say this to be in any way disrespectful to Spain, with whom we are working very closely, but last night the Spanish ship withdrew and Spanish citizens were detained. They have not been treated any differently, better or afforded any degre…

Of course I will. As the Deputy knows well, Maroš Šefčovič agrees with that. That is why at the College of Commissioners, President von der Leyen put forward proposals and proposals were adopted. I am not in any way getting involved in politics today on this, but the problem is no longer that the European Commission is not bringing forward proposals; it is that member states are failing to vote in favour of implementing those proposals. We now have significant proposals that would do exactly what the Deputy suggest…

I join the Deputy in expressing my sincere sympathy and absolute condemnation in relation to what has happened at the synagogue in Manchester. The information is still developing as we are in this House, but I understand that two people have now died. Today is the holiest day in the Jewish calendar, Yom Kippur. That adds to the horror of an attack and brutal murder outside of a synagogue. I send the solidarity of everyone in this House and across the country to all of those impacted and to the Jewish community. In …

I truthfully do not. The facts bear that out. Türkiye, Italy and Spain sent boats. It was not as though their citizens were treated in any way better or preferentially in relation this. European boats were present and available to our Irish citizens in the same way they were available to other citizens of the European Union. We have been working in lockstep with European counterparts in relation to that. That is my genuine view on it.

They would not have arrived in time. Other countries had boats in the region. I welcome the new interest in investing in our defence and security capacities but other countries had boats in the region that were willing to treat our citizens as their citizens. That is European solidarity.

That is a fair question. I am meeting the sponsor of the original Bill, Senator Frances Black, next week. I hope to bring it forward very shortly thereafter.

It is on the Government's priority publication list for this term. It will be brought forward in this term. I do not want anyone to misinterpret what I am saying here. I am committed to passing the occupied territories Bill, to working with the committee and on an all-party basis, and to considering the pre-legislative scrutiny report which my officials have been doing. I am telling the Deputy, hand on heart, if alongside that we can get these European trading measures passed, which is where the bulk of my effort i…

My colleague, the Minister for Transport, is currently investigating a number of issues and reports that were brought to his attention in relation to that. There is a very significant logistical issue in terms of what happens in skies well above our territory. The Minister has received a number of issues that were brought to his attention. He is pursuing that and I will ask him to provide an urgent update to the Deputy.

When is the Deputy going to outline what proposal he thinks the Irish Government should put in place in relation to this?

The Minister is looking at all the various legal options that are there. I hope that when I next come to this House to set out the need to invest more in defence, security, radar and sonar, we will not be accused of militarisation but will be accused of actually having a better understanding of what happens in our skies and seas.