I am asking this question on behalf of Deputy Duncan Smith. The world is rightly outraged at what we saw yesterday but none of us should be surprised. The Government made a solemn commitment at the time of the election and published legislation last year but has done nothing since. It has rebuffed every single legislative effort brought before the Dáil and Seanad. Will the Minister level with the Irish public now? Is she abandoning the Israeli settlements Bill she introduced? If not, she should please set out a timeline for it, because the Irish public and indeed Palestinians and everyone across the world deserve nothing less. We need to have clarity from this Government as to what its position is.

Sentiment score: -0.00

It was February 2024 when the Irish Government first brought the EU-Israel trade agreement to the European Council. It is now two and a half years later and there has been zero action. What I am hearing today is a strategy of crossing the fingers and toes and hoping other countries keep up with us with regard to the plan to outlaw trade from illegal settlements. What I am hearing today, which is more worrying, is that the Government is now narrowing its intent. It is going after violent settlers. It is not going after all trade from the illegal settlements but violent settlers. I would like to hear the clarification on that point. Ireland has a proud tradition of diplomacy and using our voices and words. The time for voices and words is over. It is a time for economic action and sanction against a government that is acting with impunity. There is no point continuing to talk and hoping that the rest of the world will catch up. We need to take a lead here and ensure that we send a clear signal that the disgraceful acts we saw yesterday are not tolerated.

Sentiment score: 0.01

If the Dutch and other governments the Minister called out do not move, will Ireland still move ahead? I am hearing two things here: I am hearing "the next few weeks" and I am hearing that the Government wants to move in concert. Frankly, that is not clear enough. The reality is that 70,000 people are dead. Over 900 people have died since the October ceasefire. We saw the scenes yesterday. God only knows what is happening to the countless nameless Palestinians who are behind bars at this point in time and who are facing the death penalty. I am still not clear about the intentions of this Government. The reality is that if the Israel-EU trade agreement is suspended, it still does not fully deal with illegal trade. Yes, it puts a prohibitive set of tariffs on it but it still does not fully ban that trade. We need a crystal-clear message from this Government as to its intentions.

Sentiment score: -0.21