Simon Harris

I certainly do not want to see investment in the illegally occupied Palestinian territories, much like I do not want to see trade with them. My understanding is that the Minister has set out the legal position in relation to how that fund operates. I will ask him to provide the Deputy with further information because he has policy responsibility in this area. The Minister for Finance has outlined …

The Minister for Finance has outlined the position in relation to that. It is always open to the Opposition to also bring forward policy and legislative proposals in relation to these matters.

The Deputy can bring forward a Bill himself.

I am very happy to answer questions on broader issues than the flotilla but the Deputy can be assured that the entire night and day has been dedicated to trying to protect Irish citizens who are currently detained in the State of Israel and get them home as quickly as possible. That is where my focus is today and has been right throughout the night. Regarding the airspace issue, the Minister for …

I thank Deputy Healy. I would hazard a guess that there is not been a parliament in Europe that has dedicated more time this week to the issue in the Middle East, though the Chief Whip can correct me. We had a debate on the Middle East for many hours yesterday. We have had the all-party motion and debate regarding the flotilla. We have changed Standing Orders today in a very rare step to suspend n…

I know that Deputy Collins is one of the people who suggested, with Independent Ireland, that we should have a debate on the all-party flotilla motion this week. It proved to be very constructive in being able to tease through some of the issues. That was raised at the Business Committee. I agree with the Deputy in relation to famine. There is something in our DNA and in our gut in this country. …

Yes, I do. It is one of the reasons Ireland has tried to be proactive on the issue of the genocide in Palestine. There is always more that can be done. I accept that. The international community in general has been far too slow and far too negligent. That would be the view in this House. I take the point that there is more we can do and I engage in that constructively. It is the reason Ireland mov…

I absolutely assure the Deputy that we will do that. We will work with our European counterparts, as I said in the statement issued by Ireland and 14 other countries, to see what options are available internationally in seeking accountability in relation to this flotilla.

I join with Deputy Tóibín in condemning the outrageous slurs on our citizens in relation to any reference to Hamas. Our Irish citizens are people in the pursuit of peace and on a humanitarian mission to try to bring food and medicine to a starving population. I agree with the Deputy in condemning that horrific slur on our citizens. That should not be stood for. I appreciate what the Deputy said a…

While there is not a specific date for the Bill, because obviously that is not how our legislative programme works, it is on the legislative programme for now. I am eager to move it forward as quickly as possible. I will meet with the sponsor of the original Bill next week and then I will revert to the House. I can tell the Deputy we are open to considering all legal avenues that currently exist …

I will answer the question but first, Deputy Bacik asked a question about the number of Irish citizens. I want to give the House the best information I have. When I came into this House, we had confirmed that 14 Irish citizens have been detained. I am aware that there are 16 Irish citizens in total but one of them may be a dual citizen so I think that might be where the 15-16 issue arises. I am r…

Yes.

The Taoiseach made the point at the UN General Assembly, in delivering the national statement, that we want to make sure Ireland also puts in place exclusionary measures from our country for extremist Israeli ministers. Obviously, we are not in the Schengen area so there is a different way we have to do it compared with how many other European countries did it. My understanding is the Department o…

Yes, I am. It should be done in a way that is European in the sense that sometimes, it just makes more sense if there are a number of European countries. Certain countries can have vessels in the area, etc., and speed can sometimes be of the essence, so yes, I am. I do not wish to speak for other countries at all but my understanding of the purpose for the presence of some of those vehicles was i…

As the Deputy can imagine, because this is an evolving situation, I have not had the chance to discuss this with Government colleagues and the likes. I also want to take this sequentially. Step one is the well-being of our citizens, seeking their freedom and to get them back home, and the very intensive work my Department and our individuals on the ground are undertaking in the here and now. I hav…

It would be fair to say that I have an open mind and do not rule anything out at this stage.

I very much get what the Deputy is endeavouring to do here. I say that in a constructive sense. He is trying to reflect the genuine concerns that people have across our country and the wish that everybody has to play every possible role they can in using every lever at their disposal. I am not against the principle of that at all but I have not truthfully considered or read the Bill in full. It is…

Yes. I will talk to the Minister, Deputy O'Brien, about that too.

Yes, it is. The Deputy has the benefit of having slightly more information than I do since I have come into this House. Irish citizens having absolute access to legal representation is important. My understanding from my earlier call with our ambassador and others was that a number of our citizens had already identified potential sources of legal representation on the ground.

I think that is what the Deputy is bringing me up to speed on. I will take that up as soon as I leave here.

I thank Deputy Moynihan for his kind words about the officials in my Department and the work that they are endeavouring to carry out, particularly those in Israel, Ramallah and in the region, and indeed our consular services here in Dublin. I am grateful for all they do and appreciate the Deputy's words. I join him in expressing our sincere sympathies and condolences to those affected by the most …

I agree with all of that, and I will ask the Minister for communications to make the point Deputy Moynihan to ComReg. I can say, as a relatively young person that there is a place for technology, but sometimes you just want to be able to talk to a human being. There are some things that AI and other technologies cannot do yet at least. Emotional intelligence is quite important as well. Sometimes i…

It is always a pleasure to talk to you.

I have just returned in recent days from the UN high-level week in New York, where the Middle East was a central focus of my agenda. This is a timely debate as we assess the horrendous situation in Gaza and the West Bank and as we look at the implications for wider regional security. I hope that this week's announcement of a proposed peace plan is a step towards a lasting peace that is so desperat…

No, they do not.