Neale Richmond
Dublin Rathdown · Fine Gael · Ireland
“I am grateful to Deputy Ó Murchú for raising this once again. I welcome the comments by his party leader this week when she declared that this is a great State and a great place to live in. It makes a welcome change from most other days of the week.”
“Another thing that must be looked at when discussing a united Ireland is that a lot of work has to be done to show example from political representatives on the base level of sectarianism that at least two other colleagues on these benches and I put up with every day.”
“They could not decide among themselves in the "Yes" campaign whether they would have a new form of sterling or a currency pegged to sterling or adopt the euro. That is not an issue for us. We join the European Union and we join the euro. It is simple as.”
“I will make a few concluding remarks to follow on from some of the points made by the Taoiseach in his opening iteration because in his 20 minutes he did not cover them all.”
“Over the coming months, we will act impartially serving as an honest broker among our fellow member states to progress many files in areas that were raised here today. Our work will respond to the overall interests and needs of the union, its member states and citizens across Europe.”
“More pertinently to the Deputy's questions, very real charges have been placed in The Irish Times and by other investigative journalists stating that the amounts of alumina being produced from Aughinish are going indirectly to the Russian war machine. If that is the case, it is completely unacceptable.”
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“I fully believe Mayfield will be in a very strong position. I look forward to providing Deputy Burke with whatever supports I can, along with the Minister, to achieve that development.”
“While I agree with the Deputy it was a shame that the Mayfield library could not be considered in the most recent tranche, I do think the Department's response and the developments from a planning point of view and more widely in the local community in that part of County Cork illustrate the need and merit for the library to be considered in the next round. I have no doubt the next time a funding round becomes available, a strong submission will be made by Cork City Council. The Deputy may rest assured that I will raise with the relevant Minister the strong case he has put forward this afternoon. A common-sense approach to this would be valued not just by the locals and patrons in Mayfield but more broadly by all those projects and potential projects that will be seeking funding under the next scheme.”
“This ambitious €25.2 million investment includes €22.6 million in 11 state-of-the-art infrastructure projects nationwide and €2.6 million dedicated to 12 next generation mobile library vehicles to improve rural and community outreach. I am delighted that later this year, the Department will begin planning for the next iteration of the libraries capital programme and a successor to the current national library strategy. Since 2019, the Department has demonstrated a strong commitment to library services in the region, providing €8.3 million in funding to Cork City Council and Cork County Council public library services, through the libraries capital programme and the rural regeneration and development fund.”
“The Minister has been informed by Cork City Council that the library project at Mayfield Is categorised as a priority project in the council's development plan 2022 to 2028. I have also been further advised that the Part 8 planning application, as per the requirements of the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended, was approved by councillors in October 2024, allowing the proposal to be progressed through the standard planning approval process. With Part 8 approval secured for Mayfield library, the project is now positioned to provide a modern multi-use facility for the north-east suburb of Cork city and its surrounding area. This places the Mayfield development a strong position to compete for future funding developments as they arise. The Department’s current libraries capital programme is fully committed.”
“Accordingly, the funding and delivery of the Frank O’Connor Library in Mayfield project is primarily a matter for Cork City Council. In April 2023, the Department invited proposals for funding under the current Libraries Capital Programme 2023-2027. A total of 33 proposals were received for library capital projects and 15 for next generation mobile library vehicles. Each proposal received was evaluated thoroughly using a scoring matrix published with the initial call for proposals document. Cork City Council's application in respect of Mayfield library unfortunately did not score or rank high enough to receive funding approval or to merit inclusion on the waitlist. One of the key factors in the failure of this project to secure funding was the lack of progress regarding planning approval at the time.”
“I am very grateful to my dear friend, Deputy Burke, for raising this matter, as is the relevant Minister. Public libraries are at the heart of all our communities. The Deputy and I were in the Chamber when our former colleague, Paschal Donohoe, made that very clear appeal as part of his closing salvo to this House. Public libraries are multi-purpose social, cultural and educational spaces for the whole community to enjoy. There are 330 public libraries nationwide providing an excellent service throughout the country. As the Deputy will be aware, the provision of library services, including buildings, is primarily a matter for local authorities in their capacity as library authorities under the Local Government Act 2001.”
“The new plan will focus on improving the opportunities and achievement levels of Traveller and Roma children and young people and in addressing racism and discrimination by developing more targeted cultural competence in training and teaching Traveller culture and history through the curriculum. The TRES and its associated plans for implementation and action reinforce the Government's commitment to supporting and nurturing Traveller and Roma children and young people to reach their full potential in education and making up for lost decades of missed opportunities from successive Governments in the political system and the education system as a whole.”
“I thank the Deputy for raising this important matter. I want to underline, without any degree of uncertainty, that the Government, just like everyone else in the House, is absolutely committed to increasing the number of Traveller and Roma children who complete primary and secondary education. The vision of the Traveller and Roma education strategy is that we want a high-quality, inclusive education system that is open and welcoming to all, irrespective of background or ability and that meaningfully engages learners of all ages in a positive learning environment where quality is upheld, diversity respected and where every individual is valued and actively supported to reach their full potential. The next two-year TRES plan for implementation and action will be published in July.”
“The implementation of the strategy is supported by action plans, governance and consultation structures, including the Traveller and Roma education strategy plan for implementation and action and associated progress reports. The strategy's oversight group and the Traveller and Roma education forum are ensuring ongoing engagement with communities and effective monitoring of progress. Work is currently under way on the development of the next plan for implementation and action, running from 2026 to 2028, which is due to be published in July of this year. To inform the plan, engagement is ongoing with the Traveller and Roma education strategy oversight group, the Traveller and Roma education forum and other Traveller and Roma organisations, communities, children and young people.”
“Their roles will focus on fostering greater engagement with Traveller and Roma families to facilitate successful communication, promote positive relationships and support the learning of Traveller and Roma children and young people by linking them to resources within their area. The link workers will provide vital engagement on the ground between schools, families and communities. In addition, two Traveller and Roma strategy national co-ordinators and a Traveller and Roma education strategy general manager were appointed to support the implementation of the strategy and to lead on specific actions outlined in the initial two-year plan for implementation and action.”
“Key actions contained in the plan for implementation and action include increasing the number of Traveller and Roma young people who are completing post-primary school and achieving the leaving certificate; embedding Traveller culture and history into the curriculum; promoting workforce diversity; and providing teacher training on inclusion, cultural competence and anti-racism. The Minister is committed to promoting positive relationships and supporting the learning of Traveller and Roma children and young people. In this regard, funding was provided for 15 community link workers to work across a number of schools in areas where there are high numbers of Traveller and Roma children and young people.”
“Currently action to address Traveller and Roma education outcomes is progressed through the Traveller and Roma Education Strategy 2024-2030 and its associated plans for implementation and action which were developed through the strong collaboration of Traveller and Roma organisations with the Department of Children, Disability and Equality and the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science. The strategy acknowledges that Travellers and Roma are among the most disadvantaged and marginalised groups in Ireland. While educational outcomes have improved in recent years, they remain significantly below those in the general population, as outlined by Deputy O'Rourke.”
“I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. This week there has been a lot of focus, correctly, on the areas raised by Deputy O'Rourke. Delivering an education system that is of the highest quality and where every child and young person feels valued and is actively supported and nurtured to reach his or her full potential is a key priority for the Government and the Minister. In that regard, supporting the education of Travellers and Roma children is one of the key objectives of the Government.”
“This is updated regularly to reflect progress through the capital appraisal, site acquisition, design, tender and construction stages. The Minister, Deputy Naughton, is aware of the situation in Gort, not just from having visited there personally but from Deputy O'Hara's ongoing advocacy and that of other Members in the area. I will bring the contents of this debate to her attention and ensure that the pertinent points are made. I thank Deputy O'Hara again for raising this issue.”
“There are currently 17 school projects in Galway under construction and another ten school projects will go to tender or construction in 2026 and 2027. This summer, 20 schools are approved to undergo works as part of the climate summer works scheme. In addition, since 2020 a total of 101 special classes have been opened in Galway, of which 23 were sanctioned for September 2026. The accommodation needs at this school in Gort will be considered as part of the ongoing overall Department-led prioritisation process in consultation with the school's patron and school authorities. The current status of all projects continues to be set out under item 10 on the Department's website under building works for the construction, extension and refurbishment of schools.”
“Once again, I thank the Deputy for giving me the opportunity to provide, on behalf of the Minister for education, an update to the House regarding the accommodation at Gort Community School. The Department is committed to ensuring appropriate accommodation is available for all school pupils and will, in the wider context outlined, ensure that each school project on the school building programme is subject to the due diligence required under the Government's infrastructure guidelines. Since 2020 the Department has provided €256.55 million in capital funding for Galway schools. Over this period a total of 88 schools have been upgraded either through the provision of a new school building, a large-scale extension or modular accommodation.”
“Any interim accommodation requirements will continue to be assessed and considered by the Department on a case-by-case basis to determine the prioritised needs and the best approach for addressing same.”
“The Department-led energy and conditions survey of the school estate, which will be finalised later in 2026, will provide an additional evidence base for assessing priorities. Based on this ongoing prioritisation process, some projects may be added to the list over the course of 2026 and 2027, having regard to their prioritisation and urgency of need and taking account of the ongoing ability to progress them to tender and construction within the parameters of overall funding. Where appropriate, the Department of education will also assess opportunities to undertake advance enabling works for the most urgent and complex projects to facilitate a smooth progression to construction in 2028 and beyond.”
“The Department of education will continue to build on the progress made in recent years with the continued roll-out of projects on a prioritised basis to meet the most urgent needs in terms of provision of additional capacity and modernisation of existing facilities. As part of planning ahead for the progress to tender of the next tranche of projects, the Department-led prioritisation process will continue over the course of 2026 and 2027 to assess and evaluate the progression of individual projects through the design pipeline, having regard to the continual need to maximise existing capacity and determine the prioritised needs going forward. This process will involve engagement with key stakeholders and individual schools and ultimately inform the next tranches of programme roll-out to tender.”
“The stage 2b report was submitted to the Department in April 2026 and is currently being reviewed from a technical and cost perspective. All projects, including this one, undergo the necessary due diligence outlined in the public infrastructure guidelines. Although this project is not in the first tranche of school building projects recently published in the NDP sectoral investment plan, it remains part of the Department's overall pipeline of school building projects. The NDP school sectoral plan involves a strong emphasis on maximising existing capacity and prioritisation of school building projects to meet the most urgent needs. In this regard, there will be a strong special education dimension to project roll-out.”
“I thank Deputy O'Hara for raising this important issue and join him in celebrating the 30th anniversary of Gort Community School's foundation. As the Deputy will be aware, the school was approved to enter the Department's pipeline for a project under the additional school accommodation scheme. The project will provide 19 general classrooms, seven SET rooms, two meeting rooms, one deputy principal's office, three classroom SEN bases, one art room, one home economics room, one graphics room, three science laboratories with two prep areas, one construction studies room with a prep area, one engineering room and prep area, three project stores, one staff room, one general purpose or dining area and other ancillary accommodation. The project was devolved to the school authority for delivery. It is currently at stage 2b, developed design.”
“That is in keeping with the policy. Crucially, there is a need for a degree of flexibility to allow children to adapt to settings to allow them flourish to their best, particularly at the key ages of between eight and 12 when diagnoses are made. It is about putting in a learning support plan that is appropriate to the child's needs and the setting. There is no perfect answer to any of the issues, which on an individual basis I have no doubt are coming into the Deputy's constituency office, as they probably come into all our constituency offices. However, the issues the Deputy raised provide me with great material, which I will put directly to the Minister and I will ask her to respond to the Deputy with additional information in due course.”
“I appreciate the Deputy's supplementary question and, where relevant, will bring it forward to the relevant line Minister. He raised a few key issues that are absolutely understandable, but go to the nub of the complexity of providing special education that is sometimes blanket and misses certain aspects of a child's development in education or what their need or want is. It is hard to put that into a straight column. The Department will continue to engage intensively with the NCSE on forward planning for new special provision to ensure every child has a place in an educational setting, which, where possible, best fits their special needs on the back of the 15,000 special education teachers and 12,500 SNAs already in the system. For children with more complex needs, special class or special school places are still important.”
“The Minister and the Department of education will continue to consider the findings and recommendations of the inspectorate report and may in time request the inspectorate to review provision for children with specific learning disabilities, SLDs, in special schools. I undertake to ask the Minister to engage directly with the Deputy given his interest in the area.”
“The purpose of the evaluations was to examine the quality of provision for children and young people with an SLD, with particular reference to understanding the placement of children and young people in these classes and to identifying the strengths and areas for improvement in learning and teaching in these classes. The inspectorate's report will inform the Department's development of policy and the overall effectiveness of SLD classes in the context of emerging international trends for inclusion. This is an area that the Minister is keeping under close review. The Minister is also working on a new measure which will see the provision of enhanced supports in mainstream schools for students experiencing literacy difficulties. The Minister hopes to be in a position to update the House on this soon.”
“There are four schools dedicated to supporting students with specific learning disability, SLD. There are also 14 SLD classes in 11 mainstream primary schools located across the country, in counties Dublin, Clare, Louth, Galway, Kerry and Wexford, although, I acknowledge, not in Dublin Mid-West. These settings have a student-teacher ratio of 9:1 and are attended by students normally aged between eight and 12 years for a maximum of two years. Students will have a diagnosis of dyslexia and score at the 2% percentile or lower on literacy standardised tests. They will also have an average or above average level of intelligence. In May 2021, the inspectorate was requested by the Department's special education section to evaluate provision in special classes for children and young people with an SLD.”
“Schools apply to the NCSE through their local special educational needs organiser, SENO, for such support. A continuum of education provision is in place covering the full range of need spanning placement in mainstream classes, with supports through to more specialist placements either in a special class or a special school, depending on the complexity of need. It is important to note, though, that the majority of students with literacy difficulties currently receive additional teaching support from a special education teacher in a mainstream class. This is provided on the basis of the individual student's learning needs identified in schools, as opposed to being based on a requirement for a child to have a diagnosis or an assessment of a particular disability.”
“There are 15,000 special education teachers allocated to primary and post-primary schools to enable them to support children with special educational needs. I know that, as my wife is one. The National Council for Special Education, NCSE, has the responsibility for planning and co-ordinating school supports for children with special educational needs. The Department does not have a role in making individual school determinations. Funding is also made available to schools for the purchase of specialised equipment such as computers or software to assist children with special educational needs, including children with specific learning disability, where relevant professionals recommend the equipment as being essential for the provision of education.”
“I thank Deputy Moynihan for raising this pertinent issue, which is one that resonates with many of us in the House in many regards. I am replying on behalf of the Minister. It is the policy of the Department of Education and Youth, in accordance with the principles of inclusive education, that students with additional learning needs are supported in mainstream classes, along with their peers, with additional supports provided as necessary. The Department has invested considerably in ensuring that all recognised mainstream schools have been allocated additional special education teaching resources to support children with special educational needs, including students with literacy difficulties. Guidelines for schools on the organisation, deployment and use of their special education teachers have been published on the Department's website.”
“I will have no hesitation in meeting the Deputy afterwards to see how we can facilitate such a deputation meeting as quickly as possible and ensure it gives as clear a timeline as is possible, recognising that any new school project or, more likely, school expansion project will be evaluated. I take on board the two factors the Deputy raised, namely, growing demand, first and foremost, for what is needed and that this school is split over two sites. Having two campuses and two buildings is never the optimum or ideal. I make that undertaking to the Deputy in good faith.”
“That is a perfectly valid request. I advise having a deputation meeting and writing a formal letter to the Department of education on foot of this Topical Issue debate. The Deputy has been in this House longer than I have, and he and I know that Topical Issue debates are only a step in the process by which constituency TDs provide good advocacy. I will not insult the Deputy by giving out the departmental lines that this is obviously a process, there is continuing prioritisation and that prioritisation will move forward. Ultimately, the school community in Carrigaline - the current parents, the prospective parents and, most importantly, the children who rely on the Deputy to be their voice - expect better answers.”
“The first tranche of 105 school building projects includes 80 large-scale and additional school accommodation scheme projects. To be frank, I think this will be a slightly frustrating reply for the Deputy and those on whose behalf he raised the issue. It is, however, typical of a process that is in the middle of the weeds. It would be irresponsible of me, on behalf of the Minister, to provide false information at this stage, other than to say that this is the review that is in place. What I would humbly suggest is that the Deputy consider bringing a deputation from the school for a meeting with the Minister, Deputy Naughton. I would be more than happy to play my part to ensure that is delivered as soon as possible.”
“The Department received the full design team stage 1 addendum report in August 2025 and this report is currently under review by the Department of education. On completion of this review, the Department will be in contact with the school and patron with regard to the further progression of the project. For wider context, as the Deputy is aware, the Government recently published the €7.55 billion national development plan, NDP, sectoral investment plan for education. Of the total €7.55 billion investment, it is envisaged that circa €5 billion will be used for project roll-out to support the delivery and modernisation of school buildings. The Department has also published a list of the 105 school building projects in the first tranche to proceed to construction or tender over 2026 and 2027. This list includes 12 projects in County Cork.”
“A preferred design option, including the scope and extent of works to be carried out, forms part of this report. The stage 1 report was received in the Department in January 2025 and upon completion of the Department of education's due diligence review, the stage 1 stakeholders meeting took place on 24 March 2025. The principal, a representative from the patron body, Educate Together, all design team members, the project manager and Department officials were in attendance. The meeting concluded with agreement that the design team would explore further design layout options. On 30 April 2025, an architectural workshop took place between the design team architect and the Department senior architect.”
“I am very grateful to Deputy Ó Laoghaire for raising this very pertinent issue in relation to Owenabue Educate Together National School in Carrigaline, County Cork. The Deputy is right that he could be reading this about at least seven different schools in my constituency. I have, therefore, great empathy for the case the Deputy raised and for the entire school community. As alluded to, this school building project will deliver a new 16-classroom primary school and additional accommodation for children with special educational needs at Janeville in Carrigaline, County Cork. The project is currently at stage 1, preliminary design, assessment of site and location suitability and initial sketch scheme. As part of the stage 1 process, the design team submits a stage1 report to the Department.”
“When we look at both participatory and elite level sports, we see Irish people who have had to go abroad, perhaps to play Premier League football, like those currently in Prague, while others are at the highest level of collegiate athletics in the United States. Eamonn Coghlan, a former colleague of ours in these Houses, made his name in the United States and was able to represent the Irish abroad multi-generationally at the Olympic Games and the World Athletics Championships. To conclude, any visit to Midleton is a good visit. I would be more than happy to join Deputy McCarthy and Councillor Cocking. The tie between the people of Ireland and the Choctaw Nation is something we cannot stop reminding people about. It is very important and historic.”
“At the heart of our sports diplomacy policy is, of course, the global games development programme, which we support with a direct grant, parallel to the emigrant support programme, of about €7 million per annum to the GAA. That money supports staff, training and governance in GAA clubs around the world. In February, I met the Simba Wolfhounds GAA Club in Uganda, which was set up by a Galway man who works with young children in very deprived areas. I have met GAA clubs in Coventry, Abu Dhabi, Dubai, New York and Pittsburgh, but there are also other sports as well. I would have played for the Toronto Irish rugby club and the Brussels Celtic rugby club. These are all a part of this as well. GAA is very much at the heart and soul of this.”
“Regarding the references to sport more generally, the Minister, Deputy McEntee, launched the latest iteration of the sport diplomacy strategy in Boston at the famous Fenway Park. This is a key policy provision not just for the Department of sport, but also for the Department of foreign affairs, because sport brings people together here and abroad. We often see the real economic opportunities associated with the College Football Classic and the NFL coming to Ireland, but we also see where that ties in with tourism and higher education opportunities. There are great opportunities for Irish third level institutions to partner with American institutions for investment and research.”
“In response to Deputy Ó Fearghaíl's question, the Government has laid out a number of programmes, not necessarily though the Department, looking to attract some of our highly skilled emigrants back home from places like Australia, Canada but also the Middle East. There are a number of obstacles that we will cite in the strategy or that we will look to overcome. We hope to conclude a reciprocal driving rights arrangement with the state of New York in the coming months, which will complement arrangements with Canada and Australia. We will also be looking at areas in terms of recognising qualifications and experience gained. Insurance companies are now quoting Irish people who have been driving abroad. We also have banks giving specific packages and programmes. I will elaborate in due course.”
“It is something I hope the new strategy will have a very distinct emphasis on, particularly in the United States where about 36 million people claim Irish ancestry, be Irish, Ulster-Scots, or Scots-Irish. That is why the Government launched a strong programme marking the 250th anniversary of the US Declaration of Independence, which was signed by many Irish people and has a strong connection to Ireland, both for the cultural and political ties but also the tourism and business ties. Deputy Neville and I are two of the biggest fans of American football in the House. We see the power of the college football classic every August in Dublin as it brings €130 million into the economy. Equally, with the NFL, we see the opportunities there in terms of sports diplomacy.”
“I thank the three Deputies for their supplementaries and I will try to rattle through them as quickly as possible. Regarding the emigrant support programme, as I laid out, this year the budget will be €17.5 million. That is the biggest it has ever been. Part of that is to reflect inflationary costs on certain areas but there is always increased demand and need for the services provided. Deputy McCarthy rightly cited the economic opportunities of EU-Australia trade deal, as was laid out by Deputy McCormack as well. Just this year, the Government has opened a consulate in Melbourne to complement the consulate in Sydney and the embassy in Canberra, while Enterprise Ireland and IDA Ireland have also expanded their teams. That is just in Australia, but around the world we see increasing economic opportunities through our diaspora.”
“This work is vital, particularly for those from marginalised backgrounds and those with complex needs. The 2026 budget for the programme is €17.5 million, which is the highest amount committed to date. I look forward to publishing the strategy in the coming weeks and ensuring Ireland continues its broad and inclusive engagement with our diaspora over the next five years.”
“As this House will be aware, since its establishment in 2004, the ESP has assisted more than 900 charitable and Irish community organisations in 53 countries with over €265 million in grants. The majority of this funding, some 60%, is granted to front-line welfare service providers working with elderly Irish emigrants and other vulnerable members of our communities. These organisations working closely with our embassies and consulates, particularly in Great Britain, the US, Canada and Australia, provide crucial support, often at times of crisis, in areas such as elders lunch clubs, advisory, counselling, mental health support, advocacy, information and outreach services for our citizens abroad, including on immigration matters and status.”
“This survey was open to individuals and organisations and received over 10,000 responses. Respondents also had the option to submit position papers, of which over 40 were received. While work on finalising the strategy is ongoing, the well-being of the most vulnerable of our diaspora remains a key focus for us. I am also committed to enhancing our outreach to the next generations of the diaspora, strengthening our networks across the globe in order to embrace the experiences and perspectives of the Irish abroad, and supporting those who wish to return to Ireland. I can confirm that the emigrant support programme, ESP, will remain the primary vehicle to manage the Government’s commitments to our diaspora in the next strategy.”
“This strategy will be the third of its kind and was drafted following a wide-ranging consultation process that engaged Irish community, welfare and cultural organisations, as well as business social networks across 28 cities in 19 countries, including formal diaspora consultations in Britain, the United States, Canada and Europe, as well as in the UAE, Australia, Argentina, Singapore and Kenya. I also met with Irish stakeholders in Dublin and Galway as well as a very productive meeting with Oireachtas Members in Iveagh House last June. Further meetings were also held with relevant Departments and State agencies. These engagements were supplemented by the global Irish survey, the first ever online survey of the Irish abroad, which I launched last July and was available for several weeks throughout the summer of 2025.”
“I propose to take Questions Nos. 76 and 160 together. I thank the Deputies for raising this question. As they know, the Government is committed to deepening our ties with the Irish communities overseas and to ensuring that the welfare of the Irish abroad remains at the heart of our diaspora engagement. In line with the commitment in the programme for Government, the next diaspora strategy is at an advanced stage of drafting and will be published in late April, to coincide with the next global Irish civic forum that will take place on 30 April and 1 May in Croke Park.”
“We will, understandably, have firm, constructive and robust political debate on wider issues but I ask all Deputies present to put the 24,000 or so Irish citizens to the forefront of their mind - not just them but their mothers, fathers, grandparents and children who are living in all our constituencies. They just want their loved ones safe; they just want their loved ones home. We are committed to our position as a country with a long track record of support for international law, the UN and peace across all countries of the Middle East.”
“This is part of a systemic undermining by Israel of the Palestinian Authority, its reform agenda and the viability of the two-state solution. Ireland is not blind to these realities and will continue to support the Palestinian Authority and drive the implementation of the two-state solution, in line with international partners. The Government of Ireland remains committed to addressing the consular needs of all citizens inadvertently caught up in this conflict. We will endeavour to ensure the safety of our citizens in the region as a top priority. Our citizens are diverse in the region. Their family members here at home are anxious, worried and frightened. They just want certainty for their loved ones.”
“Recent decisions by the Israeli Government in relation to the West Bank contravene international law and are part of an established pattern to create a new status quo in the occupied Palestinian territory. Since the outbreak of this conflict at the weekend, Israel has imposed a comprehensive closure across the West Bank, imposing even further restrictions on movement between towns and villages, tightening checkpoints and limiting intercity travel. These actions are on top of economic measures taken by Israel across the West Bank, which are suffocating the economy. Israel has been withholding clearance of hundreds of millions of dollars in tax revenues collected on the behalf of the Palestinian Authority under a 1994 agreement known as the Paris Protocol.”
“Ireland calls on Israel to cease imposing arbitrary restrictions and regulations on the entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza. It is essential that the UN, particularly UNRWA, and other humanitarian organisations are facilitated in full to carry out their life-saving work in Gaza. Ireland has consistently remained focused on the humanitarian situation in Gaza. This is a top priority for the Government. It is something we have consistently championed at EU level, to ensure that the people of Gaza are not forgotten. The situation in the West Bank, too, is of deep concern. Israeli military operations have caused widespread destruction of civilian infrastructure and homes in recent years. The scale, speed and severity of displacement and demolitions is unprecedented.”