Richard O'Donoghue urges action over Gaza 'genocide'
Richard O'Donoghue addressed the house about the situation in Gaza, calling the attacks 'genocide' and urging the minister and colleagues to take a united stand. He argued Ireland should show leadership, citing changes made during COVID as a precedent and suggesting dramatic measures to draw attention.
Main points
He said the room must recognise the human suffering in Gaza, described the situation as genocide, and pressed the minister to find a way for Ireland to act in solidarity with the people of Gaza.
Precedent in COVID response
He reminded colleagues that legislation was changed during COVID to allow urgent action, arguing that similar creativity and will could be used now to show leadership on the world stage.
Humanitarian and historical appeal
Speaking as a parent and grandparent, he warned about the long-term scars of mass death and displacement, drawing a parallel to 1800s famines in the country's own history and insisting no one has a right to erase a people's existence.
Proposed measures and political obstacles
He proposed dramatic measures — including suggesting going hungry for a week to raise awareness — and acknowledged concerns about European reaction and possible sanctions, urging the House to find solutions that could operate outside current regulatory constraints.
Call for unity and ministerial action
He told the minister that colleagues would stand with any feasible solution, insisted the State should not accept hospitals, women and children being bombed, and called for Ireland to stand up and say 'enough is enough'.
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everybody has spoken it's it's repetitive what everyone is speaking here today everyone is on the same page and I believe minister you're on the same page yourself you'd like to see what we can do but can you imagine if anyone in this house here had to go hungry we have walk out this door we can go into a canteen and eat can you imagine if we were that you that you were here looking at the food starving knowing that your brothers your sisters your mother your father are dying around you that's where the genocide comes into and I don't think it hasn't touched anyone in this room and I'm not targeting this at you minister I'm not but in the position you're in we said through COVID that things couldn't be changed legislation says this but we managed to change things and things moved and we were able to get stuff done there has to be a way that we can change things and stand up and show the world stage that Ireland for the integrity that they have they're not standing for this I do believe I do believe Europe are lacking I do believe the government themselves are worried about sanctions that may be taken on themselves if they stand up but something has to be done as a parent as a grandparent as a brother we have to make sure that we have to stand up for people we have to find the one thing that might show leadership to other countries if it means to go hungry for a week maybe we need to do it for people to realise what's happening here it's genocide we've seen this in the 1800s in our own history books where a million people died people displaced in this country and the scars are still here from that from families from generations carried on what are the scars going to be like for that generation that are there they're trying to take out the existence of the people of Gaza no one has a right to take out anyone's existence and anything we can do anything we can do to make change but the one thing we need to do is we need to be united in this room to make sure that we want to make a change we need to find a solution that we can actually go outside of whatever regulatory body that you're trying to protect that we can step within it and give leadership to show people in Ireland that we are willing to stand up and say no enough is enough I know you'd like to do that I'd like you to find a way forward that we can do that but everyone in this room here Minister would stand with you if you can find a solution but we need to make sure that we stand up that we do not stand for women children and people being bombed in the hospitals and in their areas and make sure that we stand with the people of Gaza thank you
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