I thank the Ceann Comhairle. What are the Taoiseach's intentions in relation to the traditional St. Patrick's Day visit to the White House? This morning, we read that the Taoiseach intends to send a high-powered delegation, particularly focused on business. Is there anything that President Trump can do that will change that and prevent the Taoiseach from going? Is there any fresh hell President Trump can actually unleash in order for the Taoiseach to decide-----

Fresh-----

Is there some reason the Taoiseach cannot hear me? I said "fresh hell" that he can unleash.

Pardon. It was the word "hell" I did not pick up.

President Trump actually announced his intention to unleash hell on Gaza over the weekend.

Ireland does not have a lot of power globally. However, we do have the power not to give President Trump a photo op on an important day for Ireland globally and not to normalise what he is doing. Does the Taoiseach agree that what President Trump is proposing for Gaza is ethnic cleansing and that it would amount to a war crime? If he does agree and if he goes on St. Patrick's Day for a business-as-usual, traditional trip, he will be normalising President Trump and what he is doing.

He has demonstrated the preparedness of the oligarchs that he has put into power to sacrifice the world and the people in it for profit and to take away the right of the Palestinian people to their traditional homeland. For what? For grubby profit, for real estate, for himself and for the people he represents who will tread over the blood and bones of the children and people of Gaza.

Trump has declared war on the Palestinian people, and I have yet to hear the Taoiseach or the Cabinet make any condemnation of that whatsoever. When President Trump, the most powerful leader of the most powerful capitalist country in the world, announces a policy based on debased morals, that is war on human rights and democracy. It is not the normal business as usual.

Is this an era when the Taoiseach can turn a blind eye? Is it an era when he can ignore the plight of the Palestinian people and the holocaust they are facing? The Taoiseach could go to the US, build links and show solidarity with those who are facing Trump's terror, namely the trans community that is being erased, the undocumented who are being deported in handcuffs - the brown ones, for starters – and the workers and students having their jobs and education slashed by the unelected oligarch Musk. The Taoiseach knows the famous poem "First They Came". I have not heard him utter any condemnation or show solidarity. I ask him to take a leaf out of the book of Reverend Mariann Edgar Budde, who called out Trump publicly to his face.

St. Patrick's Day has for many years been a substantive opportunity and occasion for Ireland, globally and in the United States, to engage with decision-makers, communities and the diaspora. We have a substantial diaspora in the United States. It is extremely important that we continue to work with our diaspora and also on our relationship with the United States. President Trump was democratically elected. He was elected by the people of the United States. One cannot ignore that reality.

The economic relationship between Ireland and the United States is extremely significant. It is worth €1 trillion. There are about 220,000 jobs in Ireland that are occupied by people who work for US multinational companies. There are a further 170,000 associated jobs. It is a huge part of our economy. Irish companies have been responsible for the creation of approximately 115,000 jobs in the United States. There are opportunities for Irish companies that export to the United States. The Deputy is asking me to ignore all of that.

I am always intrigued by the hard left's approach, which ignores our economic model and thinks it is all somehow going to happen anyway. The Deputy probably does not agree with it, if she is honest. She is more interested in the concept of working people as opposed to workers themselves. She wants me to literally jettison any concern for the workers of this country, ignore any risks to their livelihoods and plough ahead with being virtuous and holding a particular view. I have a duty as Taoiseach to protect workers in this country and our economic relationships abroad, not just the United States but also with other countries with which we may not agree in terms of their policies and orientation.

On the Middle East, I ask the Deputy to talk to the Palestinian Authority and ask for its view on the Government of Ireland's response to the war on Gaza and the Middle Eastern conflict. We have solidly supported a two-state solution. We have, along with Norway, Spain and Slovenia, recognised the State of Palestine as a part of the Arab peace initiative. More than most, we have doubled down in supporting UNRWA, in terms of the very practical work of getting aid to Palestinians at a time of hell on earth in Gaza.

It will be a three-state solution-----

We need to consolidate the ceasefire. That is the most important issue for people in Gaza right now. Hamas needs to release the hostages. Its role in this has been malign, and that needs to be acknowledged. Israel needs to honour its side of the agreement. Progress has been made on the ceasefire. Aid is getting in. That is where the focus has to be.

The Taoiseach did not answer the central question I asked. Does he agree that Trump's plan for Gaza is ethnic cleansing? Yes or no. Can he answer that question? I do not agree that we should have an economic policy that is dependent on staying silent on genocide. An economic policy which requires that is a flawed one.

When the Taoiseach refers to consolidating the ceasefire, what Trump has announced does not consolidate a ceasefire. Rather, it makes it much more likely that the right-wing Zionists will not keep to a ceasefire because Trump has opened up the prospect of taking over Gaza, which is something they have always wished for.

The diaspora is very important. I never mentioned once that we should not meet the diaspora worldwide. I said that we should make links and show solidarity.

Does the Taoiseach accept that he made an error of judgment when he went to Israel in the very early days of the genocide and pointed to a ceiling and a roof while Gaza was being flattened? Does he agree that if he goes again, greets Trump, smiles and hands over a bowl of shamrock, he will be making a another error of judgment and that history will judge him on that basis?

There was no error of judgment made, and it was not in the early days of any genocide. I visited Israel prior to 7 October. What is striking is the refusal of the Deputy, or at least Deputy Murphy and the group of which they are members, to condemn what happened on 7 October.

It was after 7 October.

The Taoiseach pointed to the roof after 7 October.

That was before the war started. I remember Deputy Boyd Barrett asking me in the House to help to get Irish citizens out of Gaza, while at the same time condemning me for visiting Israel. The hypocrisy, doublethink and doublespeak are extraordinary.

Is Trump's plan ethnic cleansing or not?

The only way we got Irish citizens out of Gaza was because of the diplomatic relationship we maintained and the fact we had ambassadors in Israel and Cairo who worked extremely hard to get Irish citizens out of Gaza. The Deputy would have made a pronouncement that I should not go, but at the same time asked us to get people out.

The Taoiseach has six second left. Is Trump's plan ethnic cleansing or not?

I am sick of that kind of absolute doublethink and hypocrisy. The Deputy mentioned that.

The Taoiseach is refusing to answer the question.

I am not. If I get more time-----

Taoiseach, you are out of time. Thank you.

He has all the time in the world today.

The Taoiseach can just say "Yes" or "No".

Sorry, Deputies, we will move on.

Israel began the full-scale ground invasion on 27 October. The Taoiseach visited in the middle of November. He participated in a propaganda visit when the genocide was fully under way. He is now misleading the House.

Deputy Murphy is misleading the House-----

Correct the record, Taoiseach.

-----and his associates, for a long time.

You misled the House. The Taoiseach claimed he visited when the war was not under way, but it was well under way.

Deputies, please.

It was under way.

Leaders' Questions has ended.

The Taoiseach's propaganda visit took place when the genocide was happening. He misled the House.

Will you condemn Hamas?

That is crystal clear.

Palestinians are the victims; they are not the aggressors.