Malcolm Byrne
Wicklow-Wexford · Fianna Fáil · Ireland
“I appreciate the Minister of State is responding on behalf of the Minister but the response provides nothing new. It is almost a carbon copy of the response I received when I raised this issue in January last.”
“Free and fair trade right throughout history is the greatest example of providing people with employment opportunities and lifting people out of poverty. One of the best examples of this is our being able to trade with Canada.”
“I am sure the Ceann Comhairle will remember being approached by the then principal, staff and others. Pressure has been applied. When capital decisions were being made by the Department of education I asked why this school was not included and what criteria were used.”
“To say that the school, and indeed, the wider area are deeply frustrated by the lack of progress is an understatement. This is an excellent school, but when it comes to its physical infrastructure, the school is in dire straits.”
“As we are moving towards the recess, I thank the Ceann Comhairle, and indeed, the officials in her office and all of the staff across the House for all of their work during the year that has made this place run so smoothly. I wish to raise the question of Bunclody Community College. I have had to do it on a number of occasions.”
“I am conscious the Minister of State referred to additional capital investment in 2027. I fully expect and will continue to campaign to ensure this school is included in the 2027 capital list because it deserved to be addressed before now.”
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“I thank the Minister of State for being here. He is very much aware of the "RTÉ Investigates" programme and the work that was done by Aoife Hegarty and her team. It was an example of quality public service broadcasting. I know the Minister of State, like me and so many others, was appalled by what he saw on his screen. I know he wants to take action on foot of that. The Taoiseach said that when HIQA carries out particular actions, it should be in a position to press the button that will require the closure of certain nursing homes if they are not up to standard. I welcome that commitment. Unless the ultimate deterrent can be applied, that small minority which are flouting the rules will not respond.”
“We all know, when we go into primary schools that every one of them is constantly facing the challenges of meeting the day to day running costs. The model has been used since the 1960s so there is a case to review what is the best economic model to ensure the administrative side of primary schools can be dealt with. I appreciate we are moving into budget negotiations, but the fact that we are now talking about going to €224 for primary school students and €386 at second level represents a significant difference. As a priority we need to address the question of the funding of the administration of our primary schools.”
“I thank the Minister of State for his response. I totally get that there are differences between schools. Even within the primary school sector, I made the point that an old school that is very difficult to heat is totally different to a new modern build school. However, a lot of the costs will be the same. There is obviously a question about the overall quantum and there is certainly a case for additional funding for second-level schools. It is about the scale of the difference, and I get the Minister of State's point. The last point in the Department's statement is that this year it is €200 per pupil at primary level. It is €345 at second level. Because of a 12% increase applied to both, it will from this September go to €224 and €386. The actual financial difference is continuing to grow.”
“Schools that are better at fundraising, particularly if they are in better-off areas, are much more able to generate income to carry out what is the day-to-day work of a school. I also raise a question on capitation. I get that it is per head. There is no regard to the physical size of the school or the type of building it is. If you are operating in a really old school that is hard to heat, as opposed to a modern school, your heating costs are far more substantial. There is a need for an overall review to look at the full economic cost of running our primary schools, but there is a question about why the disparity continues between primary and second level.”
“I am not going to say second level schools are adequately funded when it comes to capitation either, as they need additional resources. However, the per pupil allocation from this September for second level students is €386. I get that second level students are a bit bigger, but we are still often talking about broadly the same footprint and the same responsibilities that have to be managed within the school. That there is such a disparity - and every time there is a welcome increase that disparity grows - begs the question as to why that difference exists. What we have seen is an increased reliance by our primary schools on voluntary contributions and ones from the wider community. That contributes to a greater disparity between schools.”
“Everything in a normal household or business is managed, effectively, within the school community. The challenge, as the Minister of State knows well, is those costs have been continuing to rise. In the current school year the capitation payment to primary schools is €200 but it is to increase from this September to €224. However, because of cost-of-living increases announced in the budget last year primary schools received an extra €36 per student in the 2024-2025 school year. Consequently, in real terms the capitation grant for the 2024-2025 year, including the cost-of-living allowance per pupil, was €236, whereas in the coming year it will be €224. While the core grant has certainly increased by 12% and that is welcome, without the cost-of-living provision being made primary schools will be operating on less money in net terms.”
“I thank the Minister of State for taking this on behalf of the Minister for Education and Youth. Listening to him respond to the last matter, I understand his passion for primary schools, which we all share. Primary schools are at the hub of all our communities and we often marvel at the work done by principals in primary schools who not only are they leading in the education of the children in the schools, but they are responsible, essentially, for being project managers within the school as well. Schools get paid a capitation grant to manage their day-to-day operations and some people wonder what that goes towards. It covers everything from cleaning to electricity, sanitary wear, water, insurance, heating, the school website, security, the fire alarm, the photocopier, waste disposal, accounting and telephone costs.”
“The other big concern for the school community is that adequate sporting facilities be made available on the site. What the school wants to see, which makes economic sense, is that the groundworks are carried out to ensure those sporting facilities can be provided while the school is being built. It is about long-term planning in the area. This has to be a priority. I appreciate the Minister of State being here at this time. I have tabled quite a number of parliamentary questions on this. He can understand how when serving such a wide area, much of it including rural communities, that this school is at its heart and it is critical we get a timeframe as to its delivery.”
“I welcome that the Minister of State indicated the stage 2b process is in its final stages. However, he knows as well as I do that the critical next step is moving to a tender so that a contractor will be appointed. With the best will in the world, even if the Minister of State announced tonight that stage 2b was complete and it was moving to tender, we would still probably be looking at more than two years by the time the new school was completed. The neighbouring town of Gorey, my home town, has three schools, the third of which was sanctioned by the previous Minister, Deputy Foley, will soon reach capacity because the population in north Wexford and south Wicklow is growing incredibly quickly so there will be pressure for additional places in the area. That is why it is critical that Carnew gets a modern schools as soon as possible.”
“I am hoping that tonight on this last question the Minister of State will be Carnew’s Prince Charming and be able to announce some good news for us this evening and give us a potential timeframe for delivery.”
“The school has also sought as part of the development that there would be groundworks for a multipurpose pitch and that this would be facilitated. That did not come in right at the beginning but the Minister of State will appreciate that with a school of almost 1,000 students, which is likely to grow because of the expanding population in north Wexford and south Wicklow, we need to have sports and recreational facilities within a school. At the moment, any of the teams that want to play a game or train, whether soccer or anything else, has to hire a bus to get to the nearest pitch. That is not acceptable for a modern and inclusive school community. I am conscious it is coming close to midnight. Carnew in south Wicklow has often felt as if it is the Cinderella in Wicklow.”
“This involves the refurbishment of the 1930s school building and the construction of a new two-to-four storey building with SEN units. It will be a state-of-the-art facility that will be critical for the community. Preliminary planning was granted by Wicklow County Council in December 2023. From replies to parliamentary questions I have asked, we have been told that this has been at stage 2b for a while. The Minister of State will be aware that is where the final designs progress before the tender documents are issued. It is critical we get to the stage where the tender documents are issued, a contractor is appointed and work can begin. My critical question is when will stage 2b be completed. When will a tender for a contractor be awarded?”
“That reform was indeed announced by the Minister, Deputy Helen McEntee, and there will now be a broader range of grades for those at junior certificate level. While the school is very successful in what it delivers for students and the communities, the school’s buildings have not been fit for purpose for quite some time. There has been a long campaign to try to ensure that this community has adequate school facilities. In that regard, tribute must be paid to the principal of the school, Anna Gahan, the staff team, to John Naylor and the board of management and to the parents and students who have been waiting a long time. We finally saw a commitment that we would see a new school for Carnew as part of the Project Ireland bundle, which dealt with a number of schools in the region.”
“I thank the Minister of State for staying to this late hour to take this question about Coláiste Bhríde in Carnew, Wicklow. This is a progressive secondary school of almost 1,000 pupils which serves a predominantly rural area in south Wicklow as well as parts of north Wexford and south Carlow. The local community rightly takes great pride in this school. The whole school evaluation reports regularly speak of the positive relationships between teachers and students and that it is an inclusive and caring community. In addition to having a reputation for academic excellence, it also supports extra-curricular activities, even to the point that students involved in the Young Social Innovators led a successful campaign recently to amend, change and ensure there was junior certificate grade reform.”
“We cannot continue to have a 200-year-old system which is basically how commercial rates continue to operate in the digital age.”
“It is critical that this power remains with the elected members and that, ultimately, the elected members will always be able to have control. I would love to see a situation where we would go much further and allow elected members to have a far greater say over income generation and expenditure in our local authority budgets. I hope that will feature in the review the Government has instigated, led by the Minister, Deputy James Browne. This is a very important Bill and there are a number of innovative aspects to it. This is only a small part of the overall question, however. The Minister might indicate in his response if he has any current plans to look at the current system of commercial rates as a method of funding local government, and to address the inequity that continues to exist there.”
“We have the unusual situation that the populist Opposition shares the views about the abolition of our property tax with the extreme right wing of the Conservative Party and members of Reform. It would not have been the first time Nigel Farage and leaders of Sinn Féin would have shared a platform on particular issues. We need far more effective communication on how the local property tax is spent. South Dublin County Council has been particularly good on communication, almost breaking down to householders and constituents how it is spent. Similarly, in the case of Wexford County Council there have been efforts to show specifically the projects that have been funded out of that 15% increase. In that regard, I welcome the fact that the legislation now allows for variance of up to 25%.”
“While there was certainly opposition, which I will come to in a moment, for most householders, after a while, when they realised it was less than €1 extra per week, they accepted that payment having to be made. I am conscious others may have referred to cases in which people may be asset-rich but income-poor or may have inherited a big house, which does cause a difficulty. It is interesting that many of those who opposed the 15% increase in LPT were among the first to get into photographs for those projects that were funded by the local property tax. We have a very unusual situation in this country. Property tax is normally regarded as a means of redistribution of income and is championed by many left-wing parties across Europe.”
“On the question of a local property tax, 6.5% of the overall budget is very low in European terms. I can talk about what we did when I was a member of Wexford County Council. We took a decision nearly ten years ago to go for the maximum 15% increase. A very clear provision within that was that the 15% increase would be hypothecated for social and economic development within the county. It was never going to be put into the general funds for the council. It was used to generate funding towards supporting economic activity and the redevelopment of parks. Gorey town park was a particularly fine example. It was used so that we could get leverage on loans and so on. It worked particularly well.”
“If we are to have that in place, we need to look seriously at the funding mechanisms. In particular, the question of commercial rates needs to be addressed. A 200-year-old system which is based on the floor space of a premises is completely unfair in this digital age. Amazon is the world's biggest bookseller. As an avid reader, the Minister will be aware that Amazon will only have to pay commercial rates on its warehouses, yet the independent booksellers who are located all over Ireland will be paying commercial rates within their local communities. That is similar throughout the system. The broader question of local government funding needs to be examined, particularly reform of commercial rates and basing them much more on turnover. We already do that to a certain extent with the telecoms companies. It needs to be widened.”
“I thank the Minister for bringing forward this legislation. The bigger debate we need to have is precisely that around the funding of local authorities. It is interesting that our debate is focusing on the question of the local property tax. The Minister will be aware that the overall budget for local authorities in the country is in the order of €6.7 billion annually. We are here debating the 6.5% of budgetary income that comes from local property taxes. We are very unusual in a European and international context. About 42% of local authority budgets comes from central government funding and 27% comes from a 200-year-old system of commercial rates. I am aware that the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage has announced a review of local government in terms of additional powers.”
“Up to 25% of Ireland's coastline is facing the serious problem of coastal erosion and the proportion in counties Wicklow and Wexford is higher. The Taoiseach will be aware that I represent an area that stretches from Brittas Bay to Morriscastle. We have some of the finest beaches in the country, but many of them, most notably Courtown and Kilmichael, are in serious danger. We need to look at addressing this from a climate point of view and at beach replenishment. There is the threat to adjoining lands and infrastructure, nesting areas and coastal biodiversity. We can learn from other countries such as the Netherlands. Of concern to me as well is that the Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment's own statistics show that, between 2017 and 2024, the number of homes at risk in our coastal areas grew from 1,445 to 2,279.”
“Such a strategy would look at supporting researchers, our universities and other research institutions partnering with others around the world. The UCD experimental particle physics group played a role in working with CERN on the Higgs boson discovery. It is important that we partner with the universities and develop that strategy. Ireland has always been committed to multilateralism. I say to Deputy Collins that this is a peaceful institution. It is about global co-operation in the scientific community. We should go further. There are other organisations I would support us joining, including the Antarctic Treaty Organisation. Given the opportunities that now present with new technologies, a CERN for artificial intelligence, in which Ireland could play a leading role, is something we should consider.”
“I warmly welcome Ireland's decision to apply for associate membership of CERN and want to see a strategy of us moving towards full membership. I commend the Minister personally. He has been a big supporter of this. Indeed, he and I laboured in the last Oireachtas to ensure that this got over the line. I also commend his departmental officials on the work done to join the world's largest and possibly most important scientific research centre. I also want to mention the fact that a lot of the campaigning here was led by research students, particularly Michael Mitchell, a PhD candidate in Trinity College. He led on this and sought to influence, correctly, Government policy in this regard. It is not enough for us to just look at joining CERN, however. We need a CERN strategy and I know the Minister believes in this.”
“I really need to know when this legislation will be brought before the House. In addition, given that so many universities and schools have become tobacco-free campuses, perhaps the Taoiseach and the Ceann Comhairle might agree to make Leinster House a tobacco-free campus.”
“On 10 September 2024, the Cabinet in the previous Government agreed to a Bill that would provide for further regulation of nicotine inhaling products, particularly with regard to a ban on disposable vapes and restrictions on advertising, colours, flavours and imagery used on nicotine inhaling products. It is also in the programme for Government. This is a public health emergency. It has been an active campaign by Wexford Comhairle na nÓg since 2023. In 2022, two students from FCJ Secondary School in Bunclody, Leanne Mahon and Aimée Farrell, came to Leinster House to present on this issue. The Public Health Agency in Northern Ireland recently did a survey of young people which found that 76% of those taking up vaping had never smoked a cigarette before they used vapes. This is a public health emergency.”
“Gabhaim buíochas leis an gCathaoirleach Gníomhach. I entirely agree with Deputy Ó Murchú on the importance of district heating systems, but a very successful model to examine is the one operated by South Dublin County Council which heats facilities of TU Dublin and the council. It was opened by the previous Minister, Eamon Ryan. It provides a sufficient level of low-carbon heating to a number of connected buildings in the area. Where does that heat come from? It is generated by data centres operated in south Dublin. It is a very successful model and one that can be followed.”
“I welcome what the Minister is saying. The Secretary General might wish to reflect on some of her words because the Minister's Department is responsible for ensuring we have a sufficient level of energy. My frustration, as I know is the Minister's, is about the delays, particularly when it comes to offshore renewables. We are talking about 5 GW of offshore wind energy being generated by 2030. Our target then will be to get up to 20 GW by 2040. We need to start thinking at that level. I do not like it being presented as we only have this much energy, so we have to make a choice. We have got to be ambitious, even if it requires the Minister banging heads together every Monday morning, to ensure that we meet the renewable energy targets to fund the housing we need but also the digital economy.”
“I am glad the Minister has clarified how the ambition of the Government is to meet those future needs. The future is both green and digital. It is wrong that the debate has been presented by some as a choice between one and the other. The critical issue is that we have a sufficient supply, particularly of clean energy, to meet our future needs. On the new economy, data centres often get a very bad reputation. I want to highlight the recent €3.5 billion investment by Echelon in Arklow. This was the first grid connection for data centres approved in more than four years. Despite Sinn Féin opposition, the local Sinn Féin TD made sure to show up for the announcement of that investment and the future jobs that would be available there. I get annoyed when this is presented as a debate of one or the other.”
“In the brief time that is allowed to me, I wish to echo the importance, as emphasised by my colleague Deputy 'Chap' Cleere, of addressing the question of water and electricity connections. These are essential - specifically water, where we know the costs that are involved. The Minister of State will appreciate the importance of linking up small villages with water and wastewater schemes. I will instance two schemes which have been long outstanding in my constituency, namely, the Ferns-Camolin wastewater scheme in north Wexford and the Aughrim wastewater scheme in south Wicklow. They can be transformative if we can see them developed in those villages, allowing those villages to survive and be sustainable, and that can be replicated throughout the country.”
“I thank the Leas Cheann-Comhairle for the indulgence, and I welcome the fact that there are members of Sinn Féin present although I notice that members of "performance before policy" are not present or, rather, the bourgeois wing of the party who, since the split happened, seem to be cosying up to Sinn Féin, according to other Members. It marks the fundamental difference between Government and Opposition in many ways. My party has always supported the aspiration to own a home. It is a very legitimate aspiration and we need to involve the private sector to ensure that can happen. Most of the homebuilding being done at present is being done by the State. That is right. We need to provide social and affordable homes but we also need to make sure we support those who aspire to own their home.”
“Regarding European competitiveness, and I know the Taoiseach has been very supportive, it is critical that we see movement on the capital markets union to ensure greater availability of capital throughout Europe. This does not just benefit business; it also benefits consumers because consumers in Ireland could see better value in terms of financial and insurance products. I would be grateful if the Taoiseach could provide detail on those.”
“I thank the Taoiseach for his comprehensive outline of what happened at the European Council. He indicated we will have initial sight of the next multi-annual financial framework this month. It is critical that we see a fully funded EU budget. From Ireland's point of view, it is critical that the Common Agricultural Policy, CAP, is fully funded and is not just there to meet current requirements. While it is essential and correct that we support Ukraine's path to membership, CAP must be sufficient to meet the needs of an enlarged European Union, particularly in terms of Ukraine being a sufficient beneficiary under Pillar 2. Perhaps the Taoiseach could outline some further detail on that.”
“In so doing, will the Minister also extend to Members of the Oireachtas the right to use large language models and other AI-enabled platforms on our devices so that we can more efficiently deliver our services to our constituents?”
“My next question will not be reached but it is related to this one as it concerns the efficient use of public moneys. I welcome the launch by the Department of guidelines on the responsible use in public services of artificial intelligence, AI. The Minister of State, Deputy Higgins, and the Minister both launched that document and I commend the Department on it. The use of AI can lead to greater efficiencies in decision-making and the use of predictive analytics is central to data-driven policy making. I am sure, in the context of what Deputy Ó Cearúil has talked about, rolling it out will benefit the delivery of better public services.”
“The Secretary General needs to be held to account for the failures of her Department to meet the issues around renewable energy. I agree with Deputy Heneghan that there are new, modern data centres, including Echelon in Arklow, which can generate their own energy.”
“I thank Deputy Ó Muirí for raising this matter. I express concern about the remarks reported in the Irish Independent today by the Secretary General of the Department of energy. It is not about a choice between housing and AI. We need to build housing but we also need to prepare for our tech future. This is also, by the way, the same Department that is responsible for the development of renewable energy, particularly offshore, and has continued to fail to meet the targets in this regard. I am really concerned about how this debate is now being presented. The future is both green and tech. They are not mutually exclusive. The Government needs to reassure the public. The story in today's Irish Independent is deeply concerning if it reflects the views of a senior civil servant.”
“A recent Trinity College report on the AI economy in Ireland stated the potential of AI, properly deployed, could add at least €250 billion to Ireland's GDP by 2035. It is critical that we use AI in this regard and that it is adopted across the public service. The recent launch of the report by the Minister, Deputy Chambers, is welcome but we need to encourage SMEs to use AI and experiment with it a lot more. In this light, it is critical that in these Houses it might be considered that Members of the Oireachtas would be permitted to use large language models on Oireachtas devices to try to deliver services more efficiently to our constituents.”
“I thank the Taoiseach. Ireland's economic success should not be taken for granted. It is critical that we continue to prioritise trade and competitiveness. With this in mind, the Taoiseach might indicate to the House when we intend to fully ratify the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement with Canada. Trade and services between Ireland and Canada amount to €10 billion and it is a significant deal we need to ratify. The Taoiseach might also indicate for our inventors and creators in this country when Ireland will join the unified patent court system. Might the Taoiseach consider holding a referendum on it in conjunction with the presidential election this autumn? The deployment of AI in the development of services to our citizens and by business has the potential to help our economy to grow.”
“I strongly agree with the importance of maintaining our friendship with the United States and that our engagements with Congress must be conducted on a bipartisan basis, notwithstanding the concerns we have about the Trump Administration. I am particularly concerned about recent decisions by President Trump to deny access to international students to Harvard University. I hope that in the plans of the further and higher education Minister, Deputy Lawless, to extend opportunities to international students to come to Ireland, we might specifically look at some of those with the potential of travelling to Harvard and invite them to Ireland.”
“For most of the Wicklow and Wexford coast, the problem is sandy erosion. We need a strategy including beach nourishment programmes and to protect the ecosystems that live in and around our beaches. There are many active development groups and associations that would be happy to work with the Minister of State in that regard. Our beaches are critical to all our lives. The Minister of State and I know how much we love our coastal communities but the fear of coastal erosion, particularly because of climate change, is causing significant problems. I ask him to prioritise that matter.”
“Our coastal communities are incredibly important as places for us to walk and enjoy and as significant contributors to biodiversity. While the Minister of State in west Cork and the Ceann Comhairle in south Wexford would make similar arguments, the constituency of Wicklow-Wexford has some of the finest beaches in the country where people can swim, walk and enjoy biodiversity, stretching down from Brittas Bay and Arklow north and south beach through Clogga, Kilpatrick, Ballymoney and Courtown, on to Cahore, Old Bawn, Ballinoulart and Morriscastle. I have not even named half of them. They are beautiful beaches and many Members will know them. A big challenge impacting on our enjoyment and biodiversity in the area is coastal erosion, not least because there is such a sandy coast.”
“As the Minister of State will be aware, on Sunday evening into Monday morning, there was a catastrophic gorse fire that swept across the hill. I pay tribute to the fire crews, emergency services and locals who battled it. While, fortunately, nobody was injured, there was quite a lot of damage to the ecosystem. The Minister of State will be aware of the damage these fires cause, not just on Tara Hill but throughout the country. I hope he will in due course meet the development association. We need to look at what supports can be put in place when gorse fires impact on areas of natural beauty and to support such rich ecosystems. It is critical that there is a strategy to try to prevent gorse fires and to restore the habitats after those incidents. The other issue is the protection of our coasts.”
“The Minister of State and I were very committed to the Conor Pass in Kerry becoming a national park, which came to pass. There is a campaign for the Blackstairs Mountains and Mount Leinster to become a national park. Councillor Barbara Anne Murphy in Bunclody regularly raises this issue. It is critical not just for biodiversity but for all of us to be able to enjoy those facilities. Tara Hill is a beautiful area just north of Gorey. There are many habitats on the hill and all different kinds of flora and fauna, including a lot of Irish mammals like hares, foxes, red and grey squirrels, pygmy shrew and plenty of birds. The Minister of State is more than welcome to come birding on the hill. A lot of it has been mapped by the Tara Hill Community Development Association.”
“I am happy this debate is taking place. As previous speakers said, nobody is in this House more committed to protecting our biodiversity and natural heritage than the Minister of State. I am appreciative of the work he does personally but I know he is committed to action and not just words. The decision by the former Minister Michael McGrath to establish the Infrastructure, Climate and Nature Fund will be seen as very significant, particularly to ensure resourcing of our commitments to the natural environment. With the forthcoming nature restoration plan, there will be active engagement with local communities. It is also critical to engage with farmers. I have always believed that farmers are our front-line workers in the campaign to ensure our biodiversity is protected. The expansion of national parks is welcome.”
“It must be led by the Palestinian people but Ireland, working with our European and other partners, needs to set out a plan on how we can invest in providing support for the infrastructure, for the rebuilding of hospitals and schools, and for putting in a democratic structure that is in the best interests of the Palestinian people. Our immediate focus must continue to be on the ceasefire and on securing peace but I believe that in the long run Ireland can play an important role, learning from the experiences of our own peace process, in building confidence between the peoples of Palestine and Israel.”
“It will be very important that we recognise the dangerous role of Iran in the region and that it is called out for its continuing support for Hamas and Hezbollah and as a global centre for cyberattacks. I do not believe we can simply divorce the Israeli-Palestinian conflict from what is happening in the broader region. We need to ensure we try to seek peace between all countries and all peoples within that region. It is very important that we start to work with other countries towards a plan for the rebuilding of Gaza. Everyone knows the appalling state it has now been left in as a result of Israeli actions but it will be important that nation is rebuilt. Palestine will rebuild.”
“I am glad Ireland has engaged with the peace initiative of the former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and the former Palestinian foreign minister, Nassir al-Kidwa, where they have come up with a potential long-term solution which includes the recognition of the Palestinian state on the basis of the 1967 borders with certain land swaps, and immediate Israeli withdrawal, the move to elections in the West Bank and Gaza within 24 to 36 months and the establishment of an Arab peacekeeping force with engagement with Israel to ensure Israel's security. It is not just good enough to seek a ceasefire; we have to seek a long-term possibility for peace within this region. That will require us to ensure the people of Palestine and the people of Israel can live side by side well into the future.”
“However, I would say that if at the UN Security Council there is an attempt by the United States to veto any form of peacekeeping, if a multilateral peacekeeping mission is sought, then we should support it. We should work with those other members states with which we have so proudly stood in calling out these horrors and we should take an active part. I believe we should listen to the peacemakers within the region.”
“I believe that can only be done with the removal of the Netanyahu government but that is a matter for the Israeli people. I believe if an election were to happen, that would be what would happen. I also believe that can be done with the removal of Hamas, because they do not serve the Palestinian people either. It is in the interests of the ordinary Palestinian people that we must continue to speak out. It is critical that when peace comes about, and there will be a requirement for a multilateral force to engage in peace maintenance, or peacekeeping, that Ireland will contribute towards that peacekeeping initiative. We, in this country, have a very proud peacekeeping tradition, as everyone knows.”