Tom Clonan (Independent) | Oireachtas source

Go raibh maith ag an Aire Stáit. I thank the Minister of State for the detail in his response. I appreciate that. While this may be the responsibility of the Department of Foreign Affairs, there is collective responsibility at Cabinet level. What the Department of Transport does cannot be disconnected from our neutral status. I raise this because of what is happening in Rafah. We must use every means at our disposal to prevent and to stop the absolute slaughter of children, men and women that is going to come in the coming weeks, which will bring the world community completely into disrepute.

I appreciate the Minister of State's colleagues, our Taoiseach and Tánaiste, who have been very strong on condemning the disproportionate response. However, we are very sensitive about the deaths of 34 people in Dublin 50 years ago. How would we feel if thousands of kilograms of high explosives - and these are dumb, free-fall weapons, as opposed to guided or precision weapons - were being dropped on Dublin and the air transport costs were being paid for by our European neighbours? I use this as an opportunity to perhaps raise this again with our American colleagues to leverage our good relationship with them to not use our airspace to participate in the genocide that is taking place in Rafah.