As we look at the history of sports, we see how politics has shaped football when it suits. The usual cry from those who do not want to stop the game is, "It is a game and we should not politicise sports." Let us think back. In Ireland we stood proud as a country when we boycotted the South African apartheid regime. Did this have an impact? Of course it did. The Irish Government of Fianna Fáil blocked the Serbians from playing here when there was a genocide going on in Bosnia. In a few weeks, we will commemorate the massacre in Srebrenica when 7,000 men and boys were murdered. When Russia invaded Ukraine the EU and UEFA could not move quickly enough to impose sporting sanctions on Russia. Tomorrow we will discuss sanctions in relation to Israel. Just today the EU announced a round of 21 sanctions against Russia, but God forbid that we mention sanctions against Israel. The Taoiseach talks about the impact on Ireland, and as supporter,s that would be difficult. What about the impact the genocide is having on the people of Palestine, on the footballers of Palestine, on the children of Palestine and on the women of Palestine who are being slaughtered? The Taoiseach talks about money and the coefficient. There are two things that this Government can do: give the money that has been lost to the FAI and, more importantly, why not support the FAI at grassroots level for the future? That would certainly improve our coefficient. The Irish people have been clear in poll after poll that they want the game stopped. Let us show leadership across Europe and across the world. Let us stop this game and let us ensure that those people who are committing this genocide are held responsible.

Sentiment score: -0.03