21-05-2025
Dáil hears heartfelt contributions over Gaza war
It was an afternoon of fiery and heartfelt contributions in the Dáil.
This is a place united in its abhorrence of the killing and starving of people in Gaza.
"What did we do to try to stop it? " Fine Gael's Barry Ward asked.
The Dún Laoghaire TD believes this is the fundamental question that will be posed in the years ahead about what he described as a stain on the history of the world.
Notwithstanding the sense of collective outrage, Opposition parties feel the Government has not done enough.
Indeed, Independent TD Catherine Connolly described the Government backbenchers' words as wonderful but far too late.
However, there are several political actions now in train, the progress of which could yet provide an answer to Barry Ward's question.
Next week the Tánaiste will bring a memo to Cabinet on the Occupied Territories Bill.
It has been languishing in the backwaters of the Oireachtas scheduling programme since 2018 despite the tireless advocacy of its author Senator Frances Black.
The most recent delays were necessary to ensure it was redrafted in order to withstand legal challenges, the Government insists.
Others have stated publicly that this is just a stalling tactic.
The legislation will ban imports from illegal settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory.
The test now for Government is just how swiftly it passes the Bill and if it will prohibit both goods and services.
The EU's cooperation deal with Israel is a more far-reaching document and its suspension could have an immediate impact.
Ireland and Spain sought its review over a year ago, belatedly that is now happening.
Labour TD Duncan Smith said it feels like "a day late and a dollar short".
But the Government wants the agreement suspended pending the outcome of the review.
Can it now form a coalition with other EU States to make sure this happens?
Another piece of domestic legislation related to Gaza is the Israel War Bonds Bill which Sinn Féin has submitted to the Bills office.
The party said this will give the finance minister the power to stop the Irish Central Bank facilitating the sale of Israeli war bonds across the EU.
Ireland is currently the so-called "home country" for Israeli war bonds allowing them to be sold across the EU.
Ireland became the "home country" in 2021 after Brexit and Britain lost the ability to passport financial services into the EU.
Next week in the Dáil, there will also be a Labour motion which will mandate the Government to press the case of Gaza at UN level.
Will this motion be accepted or opposed by the Government?
While the Social Democrats TD Sinéad Gibney has urged Government to inspect aircraft to clamp down on the use of Irish airspace to transport bombs and weapons to Israel.
She also called for action on the sale of dual use goods to Israel.
The Government's response to these many calls from the opposition could well determine whether it did enough to, in the words of Barry Ward, "try to stop it".
