It is reasonable to ask what it would possibly take for the European Union to suspend the EU-Israel trade agreement. What possible threshold must be met and what new horrors and breaches of international law are required before it moves away from its position of intransigence and failure? At times, we have debates in relation to the EU and some on the benches opposite try to make the Sinn Féin position on Europe sound complicated. I think it is pretty straightforward. We do not propose to leave the European Union. We want to be in it but we are extremely critical of it. This is one of the areas we are critical of. The EU's handling of the conflict in Palestine has been appallingly shameful. This is a further example. It reflects the Union's abject failure. The failure to stand up for international law is an act of cowardice from the EU. Israel has violated human rights in Palestine and Lebanon, and the EU has still not taken action. Despite multiple legal opinions and the clear evidence we have seen on our screens, the EU has shown absolute cowardice when it comes to standing up to Israel. It is abundantly clear that Israel has violated the human rights conditions of the agreement. The agreement is predicated on respect for human rights by virtue of Article 2. It is very obvious that Israel is in breach of that article. It is important to remember that suspending the association agreement is not a sanction. It is a decision to correctly apply the provisions of the agreement, particularly Article 2, which clearly predicate the entirely beneficial trading arrangements that Israel enjoys on respect for human rights. The reputation and credibility of the EU is in tatters due to this. It is incredible that it has failed to take any meaningful action against Israel. We are moving into a very dangerous world for everyone if we continue to allow international law to be undermined without consequences. If we stop enforcing international law on one country, we risk giving a free hand to all rogue states to act as they see fit. The Minister of State, Deputy Byrne, highlighted to the Taoiseach the issue of the recent sanctions package. At this stage, attention will now turn to the next sanctions package. The new sanctions package identifies aluminium as a subject of sanctions. That obviously has implications for Ireland. It is right and important that aluminium be sanctioned. Will the Minister of State comment on that issue? This sanctions package did not include atomic energy, the Russian atomic agency, Rosatom, and the officials connected to it and it is important that the next sanctions package does. The Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, has clearly called for Rosatom and all who are associated with it to be included in a sanctions package. I have asked the Minister of State about this before and he has said he is in favour of it. It is important that Ireland makes its voice heard in pressing for that to be included in the next sanctions package. That would be an effective action. In the last session of post-European Council statements, I expressed disappointment and frustration that the conflict in Sudan was not referenced. That is remarkable. If you talk to international experts, humanitarian organisations, human rights organisations and the Sudanese community here in Ireland, they will make the point very clearly that this conflict will continue. We have seen the slaughter continue in recent weeks and months. Some 50 people were killed at a wedding and there was a further massacre of civilians in El Fasher. Day after day, people are being killed but, because it is happening on the African continent, it barely raises any comment. I do not direct that remark at the Minister of State but, across the political establishment throughout Europe, it draws very little attention. It is the view of people from the Sudanese community and those experts I have mentioned that, until such time as this issue reaches a point close to the top of the agenda in Europe and the United States, the war will continue. The conflict has now been ongoing for nearly five years. It is crucially important that Europe starts to raise its voice. Ireland needs to lead the charge in that regard. The flow of weapons has obviously been affected by the war in the Middle East but it continues nonetheless and has resulted in the slaughter of tens of thousands of Sudanese civilians over recent years. It is not acceptable. I urge the Minister to ensure this is a priority in future meetings of the European Council.
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During my contribution, I addressed the next package of sanctions against Russia, in particular Rosatom, which is the Russian atomic agency. Is this something the Irish Government is specifically referencing? I know it said it was supportive of it, but is it specifically calling for it? Second, it is five or six months since the European Council had conclusions on Sudan, as I mentioned earlier. Kaja Kallas made some comments yesterday on the European Council. It is important that the pressure remains. Can the Minister of State comment on any discussions that happened on Sudan, either at the meeting or during bilaterals on the fringes of it?
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