I wish to acknowledge the announcement of my friends and colleagues, Deputies Catherine Murphy and Róisín Shortall, that they will not be contesting the next general election. Catherine and Róisín are trailblazers in Irish politics who have accomplished an incredible amount in careers that span decades of committed political work and dedicated public service, not least of which was setting up the Social Democrats and helping to grow the party to where it is today, with six TDs and 35 councillors. They are stepping back from front-line politics but they leave behind a legacy - a party with strong roots, huge potential and enormous promise. On a personal level, it is hard to articulate the impact they have had on me. I would not be standing here today if it were not for them. I thank them for their support. On behalf of the party, I thank them for all of their hard work and congratulate them on their incredible careers.

What we are witnessing in Gaza is beyond horror. It is the stuff of unrelenting nightmares. For nine months, the Israeli army has bombed, maimed and tortured a starved and captive population. Its aim is not self-defence; it is annihilation. According to a report from Save the Children, more than 14,000 children in Gaza have been killed and 21,000 children are missing. The report said children are also among those found in mass graves recently, with many showing signs of torture. This is the reality of the Israeli Government's barbarity and cruelty. Gaza is now a graveyard for children and, still, the slaughter continues in the full glare of the media spotlight. The publicity does not make a difference. Most western governments have lost interest in even pretending to care. It seems that all you need to do to get away with genocide is continue the relentless killing until the genocide becomes normalised.

The Government has talked tough on this issue but what has it really done to apply meaningful pressure on Israel to stop this massacre? Trade with Israel is continuing. The Israeli ambassador is still in situ and travel visas for those committing atrocities in the occupied territories are still facilitated. The genocide continues but it is business as usual with the Israeli Government. The Office of the Taoiseach sent me a brief note explaining why the Government refuses to enact the occupied territories Bill. It says the Government has disavowed the Bill for "legal, political and practical reasons". While I and many others do not agree with the legal reasons, I find it troubling and offensive that political and practical reasons are cited as a stumbling block to action. We are talking about 100,000 people who have been either killed, injured or are missing, yet the Government is too concerned with politics and practicalities to take action, outside of the welcome recognition of the State of Palestine.

I have asked the following questions a lot of times and I will keep doing so until we see action from the Government. What is the Government going to do to apply meaningful pressure on Israel? Why will it not take unilateral action like enacting the occupied territories Bill? Can the Taoiseach tell me when the updated legal advice on the occupied territories Bill was received? A lot of people believe the legal advice should change in light of the ongoing genocide.

On becoming Taoiseach, I asked again about the legality of the occupied territories Bill. The same position has been reiterated to me as was reiterated to my predecessors. Indeed, the same position has been reiterated to me by the Attorney General that would have been reiterated by his predecessors as well. I fully accept the Deputy's bona fides that this is a point of difference, but the very clear legal advice to me, which would be the same legal advice available to Deputy Cairns if she were in my position, is that the Bill is not compatible because these matters are dealt with at a European level.

What I can tell Deputy Cairns is that Ireland continues to push at a European level to change policy on the association agreement between the EU and Israel. I strongly share the Deputy's view that it cannot be business as usual for that association agreement.

I share that view, Spain shares that view and Belgium somewhat shared that view recently but it still remains a minority view among the member states of the European Union. That is frustrating to say but it is a truthful portrayal that I can give from my engagement at the European Council, as recently as last week. Ireland did make amendments to the conclusions of the European Council last week, specifically around the International Court of Justice, ICJ, and the very clear orders of the court, particularly in May in relation to Rafah, It significantly strengthened the language of the European Union's conclusions in relation to that also.

We have repeatedly called for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire and we continue to work at every opportunity, with partners in the Middle East, including the King of Jordan, to whom I have spoken, and in the EU to build momentum for peace efforts. I also discussed the issue with President Biden. However, I now fear that the stability of the Palestinian Authority is an additional cause for concern. I am already working on this at an EU level. I have already spoken to the President of the European Commission twice about this in the last week as to what role the European Union can play in stabilising financially the position of the Palestinian Authority. This is absolutely key to protecting the State of Palestine and ensuring there is a State of Palestine.

There will not be if Israel keeps bombing the Palesinians.

Engagement with the two-state solution is absolutely essential.

I am aware of the horrific situation. I am haunted by it, as I know people across this country are. Ireland continues to use its voice at every single opportunity in every single international forum. We do not just say things - we vote that way internationally, amend conclusions that way, provide extra humanitarian assistance and stand by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency, UNRWA. We will continue to look for every opportunity. At a European level, Europe is not where it needs to be.

Every day in Gaza brings a new atrocity and today is no different. The hospital in Khan Younis has been evacuated. This morning, the World Health Organization, WHO, issued a plea to the Israeli Government. Now we have powerful organisations basically just pleading with the Israeli Government not to commit war crimes. I do not know how much longer we have to sit back and watch that kind of savagery continue and not just refuse to take action, but actually reward those who have facilitated it. The Taoiseach says that he agrees with much of what I have said, that he is aware and that he is haunted by it. Incredibly, however, the Irish Government is supporting Ursula von der Leyen as the next European Commission President. Fine Gael at least were honest about their intentions in advance of the election. However, honesty is not a word that can credibly be attached to the position of Fianna Fáil on this issue. Von der Leyen and the EU institutions do not care about the massacre of Palestinians; that is the reality. While the Irish Government professes outrage and solidarity with the Palestinians, it is simultaneously supporting Von der Leyen and, therefore, trade with Israel, which has actually increased since this war started. Will the Taoiseach explain how that adds up? How is the Government using every available opportunity when it supports Ursula von der Leyen?

It is because her position is entirely misrepresented. If the Deputy had been at the European Council, as I was last week-----

No, hang on, I was the only Irish person in the room, so perhaps allow me the courtesy of telling the Dáil what happened. When I was there last week, every single Prime Minister and President, bar one - the Hungarian Prime Minister - supported President von der Leyen or, in the case of Italy, abstained. That included socialist governments. In fact, the Prime Minister of Spain, who is probably seen as an extraordinarily strong supporter of Palestine, supported her.

This attempt in Ireland to characterise the inertia at an international level in relation to the Middle East around one individual is misplaced. It is Ursula von der Leyen who significantly increased the UNRWA aid budget and it is she, right now, who is working on financial packages and support for the Palestinian Authority. She has been somewhat successfully portrayed as a bogey woman, but I am not sure how successful it actually was when we look at the outcome of elections across Europe. The effort to make her some sort of bogey woman does not tally at all with the actions she is taking. The fact that socialist and centrist Prime Ministers and Presidents supported Ursula von der Leyen after an election involving 180 million citizens speaks very clearly to her credentials.