It is a Wiffen and a Griffin.

Sentiment score: 0.00

It is now eight years since the occupied territories Bill was first proposed. Fianna Fáil said that it would support that Bill and that it wanted to see it move through the Oireachtas. For those eight years, there has been foot dragging every time the Bill has come up. The reality is that the people who live in the occupied territories continue to suffer under a cruel and harsh regime that continues to take their land and their houses from them and that allows them to be attacked by settlers with the protection of the military. It is a deplorable situation. International law says that it has to stop and that it is wrong and yet we are presented with an occupied territories Bill this evening that is only a half-measure. It leaves out trade in services, which is absolutely vital. The Government can make all kinds of excuses but, at the end of the day, we have to make a stand sometime. Many people live long and weary lives and go to their graves without ever having taken a stand for anything but that is what we are about in this place. We are about making a stand. We have to be leaders on this on the international stage. Ireland of all countries, which was the victim of centuries of colonisation and imperialism, knows what it means to have somebody to lead. When the rest of the world was under the yoke of imperialism, Ireland stood and said that there can be a different way. We struck a blow in 1916 for freedom. It lit a torch that inspired oppressed people in every corner of the world and we still have an obligation to inspire oppressed people in every corner of the world. That is why what we do here is important. At the end of the day, we have an opportunity to make this so much better. That is why we appeal to the Minister to include services, to make the full stand that we need make and stand up for what is right and to ensure that the people of Palestine and the world know that Ireland of all places stands firmly with them.

Sentiment score: 0.03