Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 7 May 2026

Vol. 1085 No. 3

• Díospóireachtaí
• Aimsigh díospóireacht
  • Díospóireachtaí na Dála
  • Díospóireachtaí an tSeanaid
  • Díospóireachtaí Coiste
• Aimsigh vótáil
  • Vótálacha na Dála
  • Vótálacha an tSeanaid
  • Vótálacha Coiste
• Ceisteanna Parlaiminte
  • Ceisteanna scríofa
  • Ceisteanna ó bhéal
• Leideanna cuardaigh
• Nuair a bhíonn tionchar tromchúiseach ag aithrisí

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions

Deputy Pearse Doherty

Seo scannal bothán rothar eile - €127,000 caite ar bhothán rothar in Ospidéal Chiarraí. Tagann sé seo ag an am céanna ina bhfuil Feidhmeannacht na Seirbhíse Sláinte ag rá go bhfuil sé ag dul siar ar a bhuiséad, go bhfuil smacht caiteachais i bhfeidhm anois, agus go bhfuil moratóir ar earcaíocht ar fud chuid den tseirbhís sláinte. Deirtear le hoibrithe cúram sláinte nach bhfuil go leor airgid ansin. Tá folúntais nach bhfuil líonta. Tá foireann atá traochta. Tá othair atá ag fanacht. Tá páiste atá ag fanacht míonna i gcomhair measúnuithe. Ach ar an lámh eile, níl fadhb ar bith ag an Rialtas €127,000 a fháil agus a chaitheamh le cúpla rothar a choinneáil tirim.

Another day, another bike shed scandal, and not for the first time involving the Minister's Government. We had a €336,000 Leinster House bike shed. Almost €100,000 was spent on a bike shed at Holles Street, and now we have another bike shed, costing €127,000, at University Hospital Kerry. It is another slap in the face to ordinary people right across this country, workers and families who are already at breaking point. This comes at the exact time that the Government is imposing a recruitment embargo across parts of the health service. Healthcare workers are being told that there is no money. Vacancies are going unfilled. Staff are working to exhaustion. Patients are waiting for longer and longer. Children are waiting for months for assessment, yet, on the other hand, somehow the Government, no problem, finds €127,000 for a designer bike shed, and that was signed off without blinking an eye. Does the Minister know what the most outrageous part of that is? Vastly cheaper options were available. The Government examined options that included one at less than €7,000, one at €10,000 and another at €21,000, but no the Government chose an option that was 20 times dearer than that. What was the excuse for all the Government's waste? What the excuse for this because it had tougher glass, because it looked nicer, because the spacing was a bit better and because the hospital green team thought it might be more publicly acceptable?

If this was satire, it would be unbelievable. Patients are being treated on trolleys in corridors in our hospitals, in Kerry and elsewhere. That is the reality. Families are desperately trying to access the care and supports they need. We have staff who are being burnt out and are leaving the system. Now, on top of all of that, the Government has imposed a recruitment embargo on parts of the health system. While essential posts go unfilled under the Government's watch, it has signed off on a luxury bike shed and lectures the public about value for money and the need to tighten their belts in these challenging times.

Let us be clear that this is not just waste. This is a culture of arrogance. It is the same culture of arrogance where there is always money for the vanity projects and the indulgence but never money for the patients and those on the front line. It is the same rotten culture that gave us the previous bike shed scandals. There is one rule for the ordinary workers and the ordinary people but when it comes to the Minister's Government and to wasting the public money, there is no end. People are told to tighten their belts. Hospitals are told to cut back. However, when it comes to the Government's waste and excess, the chequebook is always open. People watching this and listening to this story are working hard. They are paying their mortgage and their rent. They are trying to pay their bills, whether for electricity, groceries, fuel or energy. They are trying to do their best. They do not get to waste €127,000, shrug their shoulders, and just move on. The Minister's Government does it again and again, and nobody is ever held accountable.

Let us call this what it is. This is not just bad luck. It is not oversight. This is pure waste. It is squandering the people's money but the Government keeps on doing it and nobody is held accountable. How can the Minister justify imposing a recruitment embargo across parts of the health service while defending €127,000 for a designer bike shed?

Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade (Deputy Helen McEntee)

Each and every one of us, whether Ministers in Departments or Deputies in this House, wants to make sure that every taxpayers' penny that is spent is spent well, goes to where it needs to go and goes to those who need it. That is across every Department, including health, education, active travel, and investing in critical infrastructure. With the €105 billion that was announced in last year's budget, there is a role for all of us, including Ministers, Departments, and agencies, to make sure we get value for money, spend it where it is needed, and that projects come in on time and on budget. That has to be a focus and priority for all of us. That is an objective of Government and of all of us in this House.

One of the Department of public expenditure and reform's key roles is the development of guidance, codes of practice, and circulars to make sure we get best value for money, that we adhere to critical infrastructure guidelines, that we have codes of practice in place that are adhered to, and that we make sure that what we are spending our money on is spent well, whether it is money invested in health, education, communications, large-scale transport, or any other larger projects. Before suggesting that is not happening, look at communications where we have the €3 billion national broadband plan which was delivered on time, on budget, and is ahead of schedule. We have large-scale transport projects that are coming in on time and within budget. In the health sector, which the Deputy referenced, more money is being spent than ever before. We will have more people working in our health service this year than we did last year. Of course, we have to make sure that where budgets are set within hospitals and within regions, people are able to stick to those because if you go over your budget, then somebody else in a different part of the country suffers.

When you look at the projects and the investment, we had acute facility expansions in 2025, with works to expand ward blocks in Cork University Hospital, St. James's, Connolly, Blanchardstown, and the Mater hospital. They have all been delivered on time and on budget. These are facilities for people where people will benefit day-to-day. The Mater hospital's Rock Wing was completed in 2023. I mention the national forensic central hospital and Merlin Park University Hospital. Look at further and higher education and at education.

We are absolutely determined that every cent that is spent of the €105.4 billion budget announced last year, which we will spend this year, and the money announced in the past couple of weeks, will go directly to those who need it but we need to make sure we have a balance, that we are investing in active travel, that we are encouraging people to cycle to work where they can, that we are investing in our communities and that it is not just going directly into services and infrastructure.

Nobody agrees with what happened here in Leinster House last year. That is why the OPW has put in place new measures and put forward changes to make sure something like that cannot happen again but the project the Deputy mentioned went through the procurement process and the proper guidelines. What was delivered was what was decided was needed for the hospital in the place that it was located. That is in the scheme of a €105 billion budget, with additional funding already provided for this year. We have provided €750 million to people because we know that it is needed. Some €100 million has been provided directly to our farmers and contractors who are quite literally providing and putting the food on our tables, and there is €100 million extra for our hauliers, who are transporting our goods, food, commodities and people across the country. We are also supporting people directly with the reduction in overall fuel prices, whether it is the 32 cent, 27 cent, or the significant reduction in marked green diesel. All of this is because we appreciate and understand that while we need to continue to invest in our infrastructure and to spend money on our schools, hospitals, and directly on supports people need, we also need to invest in the here and now, and acknowledge that people are in a very difficult position because of the war in Iran, the conflict in Ukraine, and because of what has happened post Covid. All of this cumulatively has put immense stress and pressure on people. That does not mean that every single cent that is being spent is not being spent well and wisely.

Deputy Pearse Doherty

The public is sick to the teeth of this. The Minister stands there and defends €127,000 being spent on a designer bike shed at the same time as the Government is imposing a recruitment embargo. Does the Minister not know how tone-deaf that is and what the family whose mother is lying on a hospital trolley in a corner of one of those hospitals feel when they hear that, or when the carer who is sitting at home cannot actually care for people because there is a recruitment embargo that does not allow the hours for home help to be provided? Does the Minister not understand that people are sick to the teeth of the Government, which is a serial waster of public money, spending money over and over again on vanity projects? That includes €336,000 on the Leinster House bike shed, €100,000 on the Holles Street hospital bike shed, and now the Minister defends €127,000 on a bike shed in the Kerry hospital. It was the most expensive option, at 20 times dearer. These are vanity projects and the Government has lost the run of itself on public spending and value for money.

The Government is tone deaf when it talks to people about how they will have to wait until next year's budget for supports and have to tighten their belts. Yet the Government signed the cheques for designer bike sheds and the Minister stands there and defends that at a time the Government is telling people it is imposing a recruitment embargo. Nurses are at breaking point.

An Leas-Cheann Comhairle

The Deputy to conclude.

Deputy Pearse Doherty

Front-line staff are at breaking point. These waiting lists are getting longer yet the Minister defends the indefensible. How does she square that circle?

Deputy Helen McEntee

Does the Deputy accept we are spending more money on health every year?

Deputy Louise O'Reilly

With the cost of the bike shed, of course the Government can.

Deputy Helen McEntee

This time next year there will be more people working in our health service. We cannot have a situation where money is being spent and there is no accountability as to where it is going within our health service or anywhere else as well.

Deputy Pearse Doherty

That is the problem; there is no accountability.

Deputy Helen McEntee

The Deputy talks about our budgets. We would not have the money to invest if we followed the tack the Deputy wants us to take.

Deputy Jerry Buttimer

Hear, hear.

Deputy Martin Heydon

Hear, hear.

Deputy Helen McEntee

While I do not stand here every Thursday, I listen every Thursday and every single week, the Deputy comes in here and wants a new budget. Sinn Féin has put forward a new plan for €3 billion additional funding but does not take into account the fact that if we were to spend every penny-----

Deputy Pearse Doherty

What about the bike shed?

Deputy Helen McEntee

-----that the Deputy wants to spend-----

Deputy Jerry Buttimer

Tax and spend, Pearse.

Deputy Pearse Doherty

The Minister has not mentioned the bike shed once.

Deputy Helen McEntee

Not only would we not have a surplus-----

Deputy Jerry Buttimer

Tax and spend, Pearse.

An Leas-Cheann Comhairle

Order, please.

Deputy Pearse Doherty

What about the bike shed?

Deputy Louise O'Reilly

How many bike sheds-----

Deputy Martin Heydon

Let the Minister speak.

Deputy Helen McEntee

-----and we would not actually have the money to spend. Sinn Féin does not want any taxes or to take in any money. It just wants to spend it. Sinn Féin does not take into account that the money it is proposing the Government spends would increase costs even more for people by about 5% or €3 billion.

Deputy Pearse Doherty

Answer my question please, with respect.

Deputy Helen McEntee

I have answered the Deputy's question very clearly.

Deputy Pearse Doherty

What about the bike shed? I have asked the Minister twice now. How can she defend that?

An Leas-Cheann Comhairle

Deputy Doherty, allow the Minister to respond.

Deputy Helen McEntee

What we have is an infrastructure plan of €102 billion. The Deputy can talk about one project. I think we all agree we need to make sure whether it is a large or small project, that value for money is achieved.

Deputy Louise O'Reilly

But it was not. The Minister should suigh síos. She has no answers.

Deputy Helen McEntee

What Deputy Doherty will never accept is that €102 billion is being spent in our schools hospitals, our road networks and our infrastructure-----

An Leas-Cheann Comhairle

I thank the Minister.

Deputy Jerry Buttimer

Hear, hear.

Deputy Martin Heydon

Hear, hear.

Deputy Helen McEntee

-----all of which people will benefit from.

An Leas-Cheann Comhairle

The Minister should conclude. Deputy Nash is next.

Deputy Helen McEntee

We would not have a red cent of that if we followed the economic plans Sinn Féin has proposed.

Deputy Jerry Buttimer

Hear, hear.

Deputy Martin Heydon

Hear, hear.

Deputy Ged Nash

PAYE workers need a mini-budget, and they need it now. Last October’s budget, the first of this Government’s new term, managed to pull off a quite extraordinary feat. It committed to spend over €9 billion more than the year before, yet left working families even worse off. This is an unparalleled achievement and all because of choices the Government made. Even before Trump and Israel’s war on Iran, the ESRI, in its post-budget analysis, said working families would be 2% poorer this year, with those who depend on the State for all of their income twice as far behind.

Roll seven months on, and the picture for PAYE workers has worsened considerably. Working people were deliberately misled by Fine Gael before they went to the polls in 2024. The Minister's party said that PAYE tax rates and bands would be indexed every year, making sure small pay hikes would be taken home. Instead, Fine Gael chose an economically stupid tax break for fast food chains and to subsidise the bank balances of developers against all of the expert advice, even from the Government's own civil servants. These are not the actions of a responsible Government.

Three weeks ago, a Government that was close to losing its authority caved in to sectoral interests and shelled out over €700 million to buy their silence for a few weeks. Nobody is saying for one minute that supports were not needed but there was nothing in that deal whatsoever for PAYE workers, and they know it. There was nothing to help with the day to day challenges that now have a permanence about them.

The truth is the Government has abandoned hard-working families on middle and low incomes. Money was no object before the votes were counted in November 2024. No vote buying gimmick was too madcap not to find its way into that year’s pre-election budget in a transparent attempt to buy people's votes with their own money. The message to working people since has been clear: you are on your own. Ireland has the highest energy prices in the EU with a harsh winter ahead. We have had already high grocery prices, rising by a further 6.5% for the basics in the first part of the year. There is no sign of the promised €200 childcare rate and there were shameful sham fights this week over college fees, rather than knuckling down and cutting costs for families

This afternoon, Government will have a chance to show its support for PAYE workers. Labour’s motion makes a very clear ask: do a mini-budget now, and put up to €1,000 into the pockets of average working families by: indexing bands and credits for PAYE workers backdated to January, bringing in a targeted €400 energy credit for households on under €80,000 annually and introduce a €100 groceries supplement to combat high prices at the checkout. In the absence of a mini-budget, it will not be Ireland that will be going nuclear; it will be Irish workers hit with high costs and no sign of relief and respite Does the Minister plan to formally oppose Labour’s motion later and if so, why?

Deputy Conor Sheehan

Hear, hear.

Deputy Helen McEntee

Again, we all appreciate that we can all see the challenges people are facing at the moment. This has not happened overnight. We have had a series of events that have impacted inflation and our overall prices, from Covid-19 to the war in Ukraine and the most recent crisis in the Middle East where it is being said that if what happened in the seventies was coupled twice with the war in Ukraine, in terms of the impact on and access to fuel and prices, this is worse. We are dealing with what has been a cumulative impact and the need not just for a response of a direct financial support to people, but for structural change and investment. To the Deputy's point, that is exactly what this Government campaigned on, was elected on and what we set out to do in our programme for Government.

We have a programme for Government that is set out over the five years. It is important to stress that it is five budgets over five years. It is not possible to do everything in any one year. What we have been very clear on from this year's budget and will be clear again in the coming weeks and months with next year's budget, is that we want to make sure that with the surplus we have, because of the way in which the economy is managed and of our focus on developing economies and making sure we have money to invest back into our infrastructure and in our services for people who need them most, we are in a position where we can provide support directly to people but also plan for the future and invest in those long-term structural changes while, at the same time, making it easier for those who are working and need our support as well. I appreciate that and we all accept that for those who are working, taking the average household - I hate to use the example we always use of a nurse and a garda, or two people who working in the public sector - we want to make sure people feel the benefit when they take home their pay packets every week or month. We have said we will make changes when it comes to income tax brackets and that is something we are committed to doing. We have made very clear that we have plans when it comes to reducing overall costs for childcare, something that can be like an extra mortgage for people, but that we also need to look at overall access to childcare. That is being worked on at the moment.

People are struggling most at the moment with energy costs and trying to respond to what has been a significant shock during the past few weeks. We have been clear that we want to do two things. We want to continue directly to support people. I do not accept the Deputy's comment that the general person who gets up and goes to work got nothing. The reduction in fuel costs overall was to support the person who gets into their car or gets public transport and goes to work every day. The €750 million package between the extension of the fuel allowance, the direct reduction and, yes, the specific package for the hauliers, farmers and contractors, was provided with a very clear focus on an industry that uses more fuel than ever because of the time of the year and the production they are involved in. We are making sure that, because of the choices we have made in the past and because of the fact we have a surplus, we are investing directly and supporting people as they need it now. We also have significant plans through our investment and infrastructure plan, and other plans whether they be for childcare-----

An Leas-Cheann Comhairle

I thank the Minister, Deputy Nash to respond.

Deputy Helen McEntee

-----the delivery of more homes, investment in healthcare and education that we are making permanent invests and permanent savings for people going forward.

Deputy Ged Nash

With respect, nothing the Minister has said on the record in response to my question will make it any easier for PAYE workers between now and the budget to get some respite and help with the high energy costs and so on she directly referenced. We can trace all of this back to the poor decisions the Government made in budget 2026. The Government will have an opportunity to make amends for that this afternoon by withdrawing the countermotion and ensuring it sends a signal to PAYE workers and the self-employed that it is for a change in its sights. It has gotten off to a very bad start. Working people are much worse off this year than they were this time last year. They took the Government's pre-election commitments at face value that this would not be the case. I will make a prediction. When a lot of the adjustments that were made in recent weeks are exhausted shortly, the Government will roll them over. The best and most responsible way of organising a financial package is to do so in a responsible, structured way with a mini-budget that is holistically managed and that ensures PAYE workers are looked after and that their interests are prioritised as well over the next few months and in advance of the October budget.

An Leas-Cheann Comhairle

I thank the Deputy. The Minister to respond.

Deputy Ged Nash

Working people cannot wait any longer for support.

Deputy Helen McEntee

In the past few weeks alone, the Government has introduced a support package of €750 million plus. If we were to add another budget, essentially, on top of that before we reach October, what will we trade off here? We fully appreciate we need to support people in the here and now.

To say that nothing is happening and no one is benefiting is inaccurate when the reduction in overall costs for fuel prices impacts every single person who gets in their car or uses public transport. What we need to do when we are looking at energy in particular is change how we build our new homes and retrofit existing homes. The figures alone total some 250,000 households. Many people who get up and go to work have had their homes retrofitted, which is saving up to €1,100 per year. A total of 73,000 homes are already targeted this year for retrofitting and there are 100% grants available for those who need it most. I think about 34,000 households have been provided with that support.

Well before anything happened in Iran, the national energy affordable task force was put together to make sure we can look at overall prices and structure and how we can reduce costs. The initial report recommended that we reduce our VAT on energy and electricity to 9%, and that is a decision that was taken by the Government last year, which will go out to 2030. The new report from this group will be published in the summer. Again, it will look at how we pay for investment in our grid, how we structure our bills and how we can bring down overall costs. A lot of things are happening. The Deputy keeps talking about introducing budgets every couple of weeks. Where is this money coming from? How would we end up having any money to do anything in the budget in October?

Deputy Ged Nash

You keep introducing €750 million packages without any-----

Deputy Cian O'Callaghan

Tá gealltanais bhriste. There are broken promises. Ar fud na tíre, tá daoine tuirseach de níos mó agus níos mó gealltanas briste. Bhris Fine Gael roinnt gealltanas a rinne sé sa toghchán deireanach. Fine Gael has broken promise after promise that it made in the most recent general election. Parents, students and disabled people were all told that help was on the way, but those election commitments were swept under the rug once the Government was formed. There is palpable anger and frustration with the Government’s failure to deliver on its word. At the 2024 election, Fine Gael promised affordable childcare costing €200 per month. It quickly forgot that promise. Fine Gael promised to phase out third level fees. Does the Minister remember that? Instead, those fees were increased. Fine Gael promised a €500 cost-of-disability payment. Instead, in the last budget, it cut the income of disabled people by up to €1,400.

The Minister's party leader, Simon Harris, promised to pass the occupied territories Bill within the first year of the Government and yet, days, weeks and months pass with no sign of the Bill in the Dáil. The occupied territories Bill was initiated in 2018. We are waiting more than eight years for the Government to progress this Bill. Last year, the Tánaiste promised that the occupied territories Bill would be brought to the Dáil by the end of November. We are now half a year past that deadline. That is yet another promise made by Fine Gael that has been broken.

The horrors in Palestine continue. The killing has not stopped and the illegal occupation is intensifying. Two weeks ago, Aws al-Nasaan, a 14-year-old boy, was murdered. While he was standing at the gate outside his secondary school in the West Bank, he was shot dead by an Israeli settler. This was part of a wave of settler violence in the occupied West Bank, primarily targeted at schools and children. Palestinian children are being murdered as they go to school while Ireland is still doing business with the companies profiting from this illegal occupation. We have a duty to stand up for the Palestinian people. We have a legal obligation to act when a genocide is taking place. Why does Fine Gael keep on making and breaking promises? When will the occupied territories Bill be brought to the Dáil?

Deputy Helen McEntee

In relation to what is happening in Gaza and specifically the West Bank, I am as appalled as the Deputy is. I think everyone in this House is equally appalled. We have what is supposed to be a ceasefire. Having visited the region and having been to Rafah only at the beginning of the year, it is clear to me that the terms of the ceasefire are not being adhered to in many instances. It is clear that what is happening in the West Bank is only escalating further. The level of settler violence is increasing. The level of destruction of homes and communities is increasing. It is for that reason that Ireland has acted throughout all of this conflict - we have led in many instances - to try to provide support to, first and foremost, bring the conflict to an end, but also to provide humanitarian aid where needed and make sure those responsible are held accountable.

We led efforts at a European level to recognise Palestine. We were one of the first countries to do so. We also have had a focus on the association agreement. Only last week at a meeting of the Foreign Affairs Council, I wrote directly to the Chair of the Council, along with my Slovenian and Spanish colleagues, asking for the suspension or partial suspension of the association agreement between the EU and Israel to be up for discussion or on the agenda when it comes to goods. I also asked for us to focus on sanctions when it comes to settler violence in the region. For the first time in a long time, we are now starting to see movement in this regard. We are starting to see countries that had not supported any kind of progress in this regard moving.

I also know that Palestine needs our continued support and funding. When I was in the region in January, I announced further funding, which brings the aid and support we are providing to the region to about €144 million. It is unfair for anyone to say that Ireland is not front and centre in providing support, leading, bringing about change and working with colleagues where we can.

When it comes to the occupied territories Bill, I came into this Department in November. At that point, the Tánaiste, who held this Ministry before me, had worked with the committee and its ask for services to be included in the Bill that had been presented previously. That work has been done. I received advice from the Attorney General before Christmas, as is the case with any legislation, particularly where when there are complex elements in it. I asked further questions and that advice has come back to me. Of course, I will now make a decision in terms of the timelines and how we progress with this.

What I would like to see happen is what we have seen in the past where countries have worked together and made progress on issues, such as recognising Palestine, working on the association agreement, providing aid and calling out issues where they emerged. Where we have worked together, we have made a greater impact and seen greater progress. I have been engaging with colleagues across those other countries where similar legislation has been introduced or is progressing to see what progress we can make. My objective and that of the Government is to make sure that this war comes to an end, that we stop people being murdered and killed and that we support those innocent civilians. We must ensure the two-state solution, which has always been this country’s focus and priority, remains a viable objective. The longer the violence in the West Bank continues, that becomes less and less viable. That is why we are taking the actions we are taking. That is why we are still committed to progressing the legislation.

Deputy Cian O'Callaghan

We have to act because the situation is too extreme not to act. It is absolutely horrendous that school children are being murdered standing outside their school. That is taking place while Ireland still trades with companies that profit and operate in the occupied territories. That has to stop and it has to stop now. This Bill was initiated more than eight years ago. Fine Gael has been in government for all of that time. It has had ample time to get legal advice and do all of that. Eight and a half years later, it must act on the occupied territories Bill. The Minister said she has received the advice and subsequently sought clarification on that advice. Now all we are waiting on is for the Minister to make a decision. That is what she said. When will the Minister make a decision to progress this Bill? Will the Minister bring it to the Dáil in the next few weeks? Will it be passed before the summer recess? Will the Minister act urgently now? We cannot afford to wait on this any longer. When will this Bill, which we have been waiting eight and a half years on, be brought to the Dáil to get it passed?

Deputy Helen McEntee

The Deputy outlined the timeline but recently, particularly as this conflict has escalated and as more and more people have been brought into the conflict, we have acted in a way that many other countries have not. We have led in recognising Palestine. We led in advocating for more support, financial aid and assistance. We have led when it comes to the suspension of the association agreement, which I believe would have a greater impact and effect in supporting people in the West Bank and Gaza more generally. That is why I, along with my colleagues from Slovenia and Spain, wrote recently to put this back on the agenda. It is why I have advocated to ensure there are sanctions applied for those engaging in violent settler actions in the West Bank. It is also why I am engaging with my European colleagues so that as we progress this legislation, we are working collectively together to have an impact. The objective here has to be-----

Deputy Cian O'Callaghan

When will the Bill be brought forward?

Deputy Helen McEntee

-----to make sure that we have an impact. As I said, I have received the advice. We are at the stage where I have received the advice. I have to finalise and assess that. I will then move forward after that. I have only received that advice in recent weeks. I will be able to make progress and move on it.

Everything that we do has to make sure we are able to make an impact and a positive impact for people on the ground. That is always going to be my priority when it comes to this.

Deputy Ruth Coppinger

I want to raise the Government's total inaction on the issue of Palestine. We have just heard the Minister talking about aid, recognising the Palestinian state and of trying to get a motion passed in the EU. These are the three things the Minister mentioned. The Minister did not mention a single sanction. I will raise a number of things the Government could be doing. In her role, it must be exhausting for the Minister trying to come up with new excuses about the occupied territories Bill with some new reason each time as to why it cannot be passed eight years on, when 350 lawyers have already signed a statement saying that it is perfectly in order.

I want to raise the plight of the people who took part in the Global Sumud Flotilla. As the Minister will know, Israeli naval forces attacked the flotilla off the coast of Greece and 180 unarmed humanitarian workers were kidnapped and assaulted. Two of them, Thiago Ávila and Saif Abu Keshek were abducted and are now detained in Israel and being tortured. I would fear for their lives. Thiago's mother has just died. Some 22 Irish people took part in the flotilla, of whom seven were also abducted by Israeli forces in international waters 1,000 km off Israeli territory and near an EU state. Three are in Greece continuing the flotilla. Martin Guilfoyle aged 75 had a gun put to his head. Catriona Graham said she was cable tied, manhandled and left without adequate food or water. They were dumped in Greece and the Greek authorities would not even help them either. Why are Irish people willing to take these risks? They are willing to do it because the flotilla was a response to the inaction of the Irish Government, of the EU state and of international states.

What exactly is Ireland's position on Israel? In theory we support the Palestinian people but in practice it is a litany of inaction. Let us consider the occupied territories Bill, for which the Minister has invented new excuses. Slovenia passed a similar Bill last August and Spain has followed suit. What is the problem with Ireland? Why are we so different? As I said, it must be exhausting. In regard to Shannon Airport, under the Minister's watch, there was a 56% surge in US military overflights last month, which coincided with the attacks on Iran and Lebanon. The Minister sees no connection between the two things and there are verbal gymnastics when she is asked to condemn these acts. When people say academic links should be ended, the Minister constantly says we should separate the two, even though the university links are with companies that are involved in the military assaults. Even with the Ireland and Israel match, the Government is pushing players to participate in that when it knows the Israeli team is steeped in apartheid, in racism and in the IDF itself. When will the Government sanction Israel?

Deputy Helen McEntee

The Government has consistently been a strong voice for the rights of Palestinian people. Whether Deputy Coppinger would like to accept that or not, or whether she agrees with me or not, that has always been the case. With every opportunity, be it within the EU or the international community, we have advocated for the rights of the Palestinian people and for a two-state solution. We have not just advocated. On top of the areas I have mentioned, where others have pulled back, we have provided humanitarian aid. We have continued to advocate for other organisations whose members I have met and whose colleagues were killed and murdered in this conflict. We have continued to advocate for them and to provide funding while making sure that at every level possible, at the UN level with our international partners, that we highlight the absolutely integral role they play. We continue to advocate for the suspension of the association agreement. For me, this is extremely important because the association agreement, or part of it, particularly when we talk of the West Bank, is at an EU level. This is where we have the greatest impact, where we effect change and how we bring about the response we need, which is that the killing stops, that what is happening in the West Bank stops, and that the pathway towards a two-state solution remains viable. When it comes to that, we have been part of an overall association that is working actively at the moment. While it seems difficult given what is going on, we are actively working to ensure that this remains the focus and the priority. We held one of the most recent conferences in Dublin with people from right across the globe, including Palestine, focused on how we can achieve that overall objective and how we can bring to bear our own experiences on our island of what seemed like an impossible solution in Northern Ireland, how we brought that to the fore, and how we brought the peace process to the fore. We are actively engaged with Palestine and with our counterparts. We are actively engaged with our colleagues right across the EU, and I am actively engaged with them to see what measures we can bring forward. We have to accept there is not a consensus in Europe at the moment when it comes to the association agreement and suspending it. I know from the discussions we had in the past few weeks that there was a shift and a change. My continued engagement with them will be to focus on how we can do more and how the EU can collectively respond and do more because I do not think we have done enough. I am happy to say, and I have said time and again, that at an EU level, I do not think we have done enough.

We have given a very clear commitment with regard to the occupied territories Bill. Legislation does not progress in the same way in different countries. Two countries have already introduced it but it was not through primary legislation and it was by a different route. At the same time, we know other countries are progressing it at the moment and I am actively engaged in working with them. Where we move in unison and where we act collectively together, we have a greater impact and we have a stronger response. This comes back to what is actually having an impact on the ground, how we are supporting people and what it is they need. When I was on the ground speaking to people, they said they need continued aid, they need continued support and they need us to advocate at a European level. That is the way to bring about the change that is needed.

Deputy Ruth Coppinger

An advocate and a voice but no action. That is all the Minister said, basically. Slovenia and Spain passed occupied territories Bills but Ireland will not because Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael have developed an economic model of Irish capitalism that is so interlinked with American multinationals and, therefore, they do not want to pass it.

I want to mention two issues, the first of which is the trial of an Irishman, Daniel Tatlow-Devally, in Germany. Mr. Tatlow-Devally's family has contacted the Minister and TDs to ask that his trial would be observed. Germany has become a police state, in effect, in its opposition to the Palestinian people. Daniel was led into a court with two-mile high bulletproof glass wall, so he could not engage with his solicitors, along with the other defendants. This is extremely concerning in an EU state.

With regard to the flotilla, I ask that the Minister do something concrete. They are asking for diplomatic protection, for a public investigation as to what happened, including to our own citizens who were brutalised and for economic sanctions against this criminal act by Israel. Will the Minister take action on those three things?

Deputy Helen McEntee

I am very clear that we are committed to the Bill. I am very clear on that and I cannot stress that enough. In terms of the flotilla, this is the second flotilla. With the first flotilla, our representatives on the ground responded immediately to those who were in Israel. They were some of the first citizens who were brought home. With regard to this current flotilla, I condemned outright the actions taken by Israel in international waters. This was a clear violation of international law. I made it very clear that this was a breach. We had officials on the ground who supported those people immediately and who made sure those who were brought to shore in Greece were provided with the support and assistance they required. I have to stress that our advice to people is not to travel in the region. I have condemned the actions of Israel. I have made sure our officials and our team are on the ground supporting those people but again I stress our advice is not to travel to the region. It was clear where they were headed to and the advice is not to travel. To anybody who is taken off the flotilla to decide to continue in that vein, our advice has to be to advise against that.

Again, it is not inaction and it is not just words. We are taking action. My actions in recent times in trying to bring together the European Union to respond more collectively is how I believe we will gain respect and make sure we have a greater impact.

• Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions
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• Ceisteanna ó na Comhaltaí Eile - Other Members’ Questions