Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 24 February 2026
226. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the breakdown of Irish funded infrastructure destroyed by Israel in the Occupied Palestinian Territories in each of the years 2020 to date, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14800/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Government is seriously concerned at the damage to civilian infrastructure in the Occupied Palestinian Territory. The World Bank estimates the cost of the reconstruction of Gaza at $71.5 billion, with $16.7 billion needed to restore critical services.
We are very concerned at the deteriorating situation in the West Bank and the recent Israeli Security Cabinet decisions to expand Israeli control over the West Bank. Ireland has joined 84 other UN members to jointly condemn the measures, which contravene international law.
Our support for public infrastructure in Palestine is almost exclusively in partnership with other donors. This includes support to the Palestinian Authority’s Ministry of Education, the West Bank Protection Consortium, and core funding to UNRWA. As such, it is not feasible to isolate all of our contribution to specific infrastructure delivered or maintained through these schemes.
Ireland contributes €3 million annually through a joint donor scheme to the Palestinian Authority's Department of Education. This includes support to school buildings in the West Bank. Reports indicate that 74 schools in the West Bank were damaged in 2025 and 78 schools placed under demolition orders.
The Government has provided €68 million in core funding to UNRWA since 2023, and €93 million since 2020. In January 2026, Israeli forces demolished the UNRWA headquarters compound in East Jerusalem. In Gaza, 312 of UNRWA's facilities have been damaged or destroyed.
Ireland has also supported the Palestinian Water Authority to develop the €45 million North Gaza Emergency Sewage Treatment plant. We committed to providing €8 million and had provided €6 million by the end of 2022. Construction of the plant was well advanced, but, following the conflict since October 2023, its current condition is not known in any detail. Some of the balance of the funding due for the scheme has been used to support ongoing emergency water system repairs in Gaza.
Since 2020, Ireland has provided €2 million to the West Bank Protection Consortium to support prevention of forced displacement. In 2025, donor-funded infrastructure schemes worth just under €1 million were affected by demolitions, confiscations, settler violence or forced abandonment. The equivalent figure for damage in 2024 was just under €550,000. On 6 February 2026, Ireland and partners submitted our latest compensation request to the Israeli authorities. The total compensation demand for all documented confiscated and/or demolished property, funded by the consortium of donors since 2015, is now €1.7 million.
Ireland also funds micro solar and water systems infrastructure in the West Bank with an overall investment of €505,147 since 2015. In July 2025, our partner, Comet-ME reported that damage to energy and water components funded by Ireland, as a result of violent settler activity and demolitions, amounted to some €23,000.
The Government will continue to call for an end to demolitions and compensation for damage to infrastructure, and for full respect for International Humanitarian Law.
