Coalition’s perpetual dilemma on Gaza

Good morning,

Our lead story in print this morning captures Ireland’s EU-level intervention on the war in Gaza. The decision, along with Spain, to write to Ursula von der Leyen requesting the EU’s trade agreement with Israel be urgently reviewed is a foray into the most material element of the EU-Israel relationship: trade. As Naomi O’Leary writes this morning, trade is a lopsided relationship whereby the bloc accounts for a third of Israel’s imports, but just 0.8 per cent of EU imports are Israeli. Naomi outlines how the idea of using trade to punish Israel was once far fetched but by increments has become more palatable as the bloody bombardment in Gaza has raged on.

The intervention doesn’t guarantee that Europe will act – far from it, there is still a significant pro-Israel caucus which is likely to block it. But it is nonetheless significant within the world of European politics, and while Brussels may not march to the beat of the Irish and Spanish drum, it cannot pretend not to hear it.

Closer to home, it is unlikely to suppress the charges that the Government faces from the Opposition on the left in Dublin – that it is relying more on gestures, rhetoric, stances and moral suasion than acting when it comes to the war. Sinn Féin welcomed the move but said it should have happened months ago, and called for more to be done. Therein lies the difficulty for the Coalition on Gaza: while Ireland is a genuine outlier among similar countries, it faces accusations of foot-dragging at home, and when defending itself, is left explaining legal, diplomatic and other technicalities. Meanwhile, the bloodshed continues.

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Playbook

Micheál Martin will hold a joint press conference at Department of Foreign Affairs HQ in Iveagh House with Philippe Lazzarini, Commissioner General of the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA). That’s at 9.45am.

The Christian Solidarity Campaign will launch its campaign for a No-No vote in the family and care referendums at 10.45am.

Simon Harris is in the US – he met former US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Wednesday and is meeting Joe Kennedy III in Boston today.

In the evening, US Senator Bernie Sanders is in UCD at 7pm to plug his new book – It’s OK To Be Angry About Capitalism.

Dáil

Catherine Martin takes oral questions at 9am, followed by Darragh O’Brien at 10.30am and Leaders’ Questions at midday. Questions on policy or legislation is just before lunchtime, followed by statements on sustainable fisheries and coastal communities.

Topical Issues follows at 3.30pm.

Sinn Féin TDs Kathleen Funchion and Martin Kenny have a Bill in Private Members’ time to extend the Commissions of Investigation Act, after which the Dáil adjourns for the week.

Here’s the full schedule.

Seanad

Commencement matters are at 9.30am followed by the Order of Business. Later, there is a motion regarding extending the scheme for financial contributions for hosting Ukrainian refugees.

The legislation for the directly elected Limerick mayor continues its passage through the upper house, with the committee stage at 1.30pm. The Seanad adjourns at 3.30pm.

The full schedule is here.

Committees

The Good Friday committee meets with the North South Youth Forum at 9.30am. The Public Accounts Committee has its weekly meeting at the same time.

Darragh O’Brien continues his engagement with the Housing Committee on the Planning and Development Bill at 2pm, while Paschal Donohoe is with the Environment Committee at 2.30pm to review the Climate Action Plan.

The full schedule is here.

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