I dtús báire guím gach rath ar Eamon Ryan cibé cén bealach a shiúlann sé anois. Freisin, tugaim aitheantas don méid oibre a rinne sé.

Fillim anois ar cheist na Palaistíne agus an t-ár brúidiúil, marfach atá ar siúl fad is atá muid i mbun cainte anseo. Rinneamar an cinneadh ceart an mhí seo caite ar an 25 Bealtaine nuair a thugamar aitheantas don stát neamhspleách Stáit na Palaistíne. Is í an cheist anois ná cad iad na céimeanna eile atá le tógáil. Tá práinn le céimeanna eile. I am going to return to the question of Palestine where genocide continues as we sit here peacefully speaking in this Parliament. I say with the greatest of respect to the government of Israel and to the Jewish population that they are carrying out a genocide. We took the right step on 22 May 2024 when we recognised the State of Palestine but, for that decision to have meaning, we now need to take further steps. Clearly, Israel and its army and government is out of control. They simply know no bounds and are not listening to anyone. I say that in the context of the facts today. More than 37,202 Palestinians have been killed with nearly 85,000 Palestinians injured. I also acknowledge that 1,200 Israelis have been reported killed and nearly 5,500 reported injured. Some 17,000 children are now known by a number of letters: wounded child with no surviving family, WCNSF. Some 70,000 units have been destroyed and 1.7 million people in Gaza displaced. The facts are important. It is important to let them out in view of the propaganda and the narrative that is going out from the Israeli ambassador and Israeli spokespeople. The UN Food and Agriculture Organization has said that 1 million Gazans face death and starvation by mid-July, while 100% suffer from trauma and depression. Some 8,000 children aged under five have received treatment for severe malnutrition. I could go on with the number of aid workers and journalists who have been killed. What I want to focus on in my last few seconds is to ask the Taoiseach what steps he is going to take to give a reality to the recognition of Palestine as an independent state. The first one, of course, is to stop the travel of American soldiers and arms through Shannon Airport. That is the most basic step we need to take. We need to end the export of dual-use goods, which have increased tenfold in one year. We need to enact the occupied territories Bill. Regarding the EU-Israel association agreement, why have we not acted on that and on the humanitarian clause as a basic step? It is as basic as inspecting the planes going through Shannon Airport. These are basic steps to be taken if we are to give substance to the recognition we gave a few weeks ago to Palestine.

I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. I spoke yesterday to President Biden. I spoke specifically on behalf of Ireland about the importance of an immediate ceasefire. The President agreed that there was a need for a two-state solution. I think he said that in his read-out of the call. My question to everybody is what more can we do to bring about the circumstances where a ceasefire can be achieved because I genuinely believe the first thing that has to happen is a cessation of violence. As recently as yesterday, 17 June, we saw as many as 17 Palestinians killed in Israeli strikes on a refugee camp in central Gaza.

I am aware of the reports of yet further strikes on refugee camps. We need an immediate and permanent ceasefire to create the environment in which we can work towards the two-state solution. That is the first thing Ireland continues to do at every international forum at every opportunity with every world leader. We did it again as recently as yesterday.

I also welcome the publication of the report by the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and Israel. The report asserts that there have been grave violations of human rights and of international humanitarian law. There must be full accountability for all civilian deaths and for all crimes that have been committed. At a time when other countries have not always done so, we will continue to support the International Criminal Court and the International Court of Justice. We have done that through additional funding as well.

Our position on the association agreement at an EU level remains clear. I articulated it again to a number of European counterparts as recently as yesterday. I will continue to do it next week at the formal European Council. It is unacceptable that a trade agreement that is in place and that has human rights clauses has not been reviewed. That is the position of Ireland and Spain. We continue to try to get support for that at an EU level. There have been some encouraging signs recently with the Belgian Presidency now also calling an association agreement review meeting.

Regarding dual-use goods, Ireland operates a robust framework for regulating the export of dual-use goods. The Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment is the national competent authority. All export licence applications are considered under criteria set out within the relevant dual-use regulations and in line with Ireland's international obligations. We operate a rigorous export control system and will continue to do so. It has been extraordinary that in the past 24 to 48 hours we have seen the decision by Ireland, along with Norway and Spain, to recognise the State of Palestine being used as some sort of peculiar justification - a pathetic justification really - for the illegal settlements on the West Bank and the determination of the Government of Israel to do more in that space. That should tell us that the recognition of the State of Palestine is not seen as something merely symbolic or inconsequential but is actually seen as something quite significant in terms of speaking up and speaking out for the State of Palestine.

We continue to do all we can in every forum we can. I will come back on the occupied territories.

When the Taoiseach spoke to President Biden yesterday, did he ask him to stop the export of arms that are responsible for the genocide in Palestine? Did he ask him to take action on that? The previous Taoiseach wrote to von der Leyen back in February about the EU-Israel agreement; nothing has happened since. He wrote directly to von der Leyen and there has been no response. Yet this Government will vote for von der Leyen. I understand that Fianna Fáil has a little more sense and might not support her election. However, Fine Gael will support von der Leyen, who stood shoulder to shoulder with Netanyahu who, along with his government, is now the subject of the International Criminal Court inquiry into a plausible case of genocide. There is an arrest warrant sought for Netanyahu, among other people, and we are still waiting on whether it will be granted.

Von der Leyen stood shoulder to shoulder with him. She has expressed no regret about that while arms from Europe, including from her own country of Germany and France, America and other countries are responsible for the genocide that is happening while we sit here and calmly and coolly talk. Talk is over; it is time to take action. The various Bills that are going through the Oireachtas, including one since 2018 from Senator Black, have not been followed. The Taoiseach said the framework for regulating the export of dual-use goods is robust and rigorous. I really tremble if that is merely as robust and rigorous as the inspection of planes going on in Shannon.

There is a serious misrepresentation of the views of President von der Leyen by some in this country. Some have done so for political gain during the European elections. I attended the European Council last night with 26 other prime ministers and presidents. I have not heard any country within the European Union actively propose another name for President of the Commission. While President von der Leyen has not got everything right, she has shown leadership on humanitarian aid and UNRWA, and has clearly called for a ceasefire.

It is sometimes convenient to blame President von der Leyen for other things. It is a matter for member states of the European Union to stand up and be counted when it comes to the association agreement. We have and Spain has. Belgium has made progress. It is not a competency of the President of the Commission; it is of the member states.

In relation to any arrest warrant, this country will always comply with international courts on these issues.

On Shannon and other airports, no airport in Ireland or Irish sovereign airspace is being used to transport weapons to the conflict in the Middle East. In 2023, and to date this year, no application has been received nor has any exemption been granted for the carriage of weapons on civil aircraft to Israel. Any such application, if received, would be refused.