123. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade for an update on the progress of the Control of Economic Activity (Occupied Territories) Bill 2018. [15541/25]
Sentiment score: 0.14
As these are questions for the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Deputy Simon Harris, it is an appropriate time to extend our sympathies and our solidarity to the people of Myanmar and Thailand in the context of what they are currently experiencing. It is a real catastrophe and there is huge human suffering. The question I bring to the Minister is the same question I brought to him six weeks ago during our previous session, and it relates to the occupied territories Bill. In the interim, unfortunately, the ceasefire that held at that stage is no longer. Hundreds of people, if not more, have died. It is important that Ireland takes a strong stand on that.
Sentiment score: 0.04
It is vitally important the international community uses every lever possible to put pressure on for the resumption of the ceasefire, to stop the hostilities, and for the release of the hostages. I suppose we are back to this issue time and again. Unfortunately, we are back to dealing with the consequences of the Israeli Government feeling as if it can act with impunity. That is why the occupied territories Bill matters. It is about ensuring international law applies. Too often the Israeli Government is flouting international law very significantly, obviously in Gaza and the West Bank currently. Time and again the position of the Government seems to have been that these are issues of technical difficulties and so on. That seems to have ultimately disappeared. It now seems the Government has changed its position in terms of substance and no longer believes it is necessary to ban services. Whatever of that, and we can discuss this more, commitments were given - or so it was reported - to groups in the United States that this Bill has been shelved. What is the timescale for the progress of the Government Bill? The Bill that is already on the Order Paper should be proceeded with. What is the timescale we have?
Sentiment score: -0.06
I appreciate that. If it were as simple as whether it is a Government or Opposition Bill, this might be a less contentious debate, but the reality is that there is a difference in substance, one that has never really been justified. I do not know whether the Tánaiste wants to take the opportunity to justify the distinction between goods and services at this juncture. I invite the Tánaiste to remark on the scenes outside the Dáil yesterday involving Mothers Against Genocide and particularly on what is reported to have occurred afterwards, namely, strip-searching and, in one instance, cavity-searching. I am aware that a complaint has gone to the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission, GSOC. It is very worrying and I invite the Tánaiste’s comments on it because it is something we do not want to see.
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I have ten seconds left.
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How does the Tánaiste justify the difference in substance between goods and services, because it has no basis in the ICJ judgment?
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125. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade for an update on his Department’s recent engagements with the Government of Ukraine in respect of the ongoing conflict and efforts made to reach a ceasefire. [15542/25]
Sentiment score: 0.12
Since we last had questions here, we had the third anniversary of the vicious war of aggression by Russia, under Vladimir Putin, against Ukraine. It represents the largest land conflict and greatest displacement of people in Europe for nearly 80 years. Progress towards a ceasefire has been extremely slow. While any progress is obviously welcome, it is extremely slow and seems to be consistently undermined by one of the parties and so I invite the Tánaiste to make a statement on that matter.
Sentiment score: 0.21
It certainly appears as though Vladimir Putin is using the cover of whatever desire exists internationally and which has been spoken about at length by the US President on peace, to buy time. Even the commitments that have supposedly been agreed have been undermined by attacks on energy infrastructure and civilian infrastructure of the kind that was meant to be prevented. It is not difficult to be somewhat cynical about the attitude towards peace of Vladimir Putin. At this point, various parties, including the United States, may be inclined to give a certain amount of latitude but there may come a time when the issue of sanctions and further sanctions on Russia needs to be considered. Has there been discussion on further sanctions at a European level? Can the Tánaiste outline what sanctions are being considered and make a statement on that matter?
Sentiment score: 0.38
I do not really have any further questions but I take the opportunity again to reject the statements that have been made by President Trump about President Zelenskyy. He is no dictator by any manner of means. The authoritarian here is Vladimir Putin and it is important to recognise the clear fact that the Ukrainians are serious about peace but it has to be on the basis of a just and sustainable peace and it needs to ensure Ukraine itself is at the table and indeed, partners in Europe. I have no further questions but I put that in the Official Report.
Sentiment score: 0.12