Taoiseach tells US event: We cannot ignore the cries of children in Gaza

The Government has been pressured by activists to do more to pressure the US to stop arming Israel amid anger in Ireland at the 42,000 Palestinians killed and thousands of others injured in a year-long Israeli military offensive in Gaza.

Israel launched the operation in response to Hamas-led militants killing 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducting another 250 when they stormed into southern Israel on October 7 last year.

The government has repeatedly called for a ceasefire and for those still being held hostage to be released.

It has also criticised Israel for what it called a disproportionate response in the Gaza Strip, which has seen the displacement of 80% of its population and limited food and medicine into the region.

Speaking at an event to mark 100 years of diplomatic relations between Ireland and the US, Mr Harris said that its future relations are “bright” amid “an extraordinarily turbulent world”.

“We’re living in a world where we’re witnessing a level of violent devastation, which must compel us to consider every possible action to bring it to an end, including ones that may not even normally be considered,” he said after being introduced on stage by US ambassador Claire Cronin.

“It’s always important to talk honestly to friends, and no matter what differing perspectives may exist, there can surely be unity on the desperate need for a ceasefire in Gaza, an end to violence in the Middle East, the release of all the hostages and the flow of humanitarian aid.

“I know President Biden and I very much share this view, and I wish God’s speed to Secretary of State Blinken in his ongoing work and current efforts in the region.

“But let’s be clear, we have to use every lever at the disposal of every country to stop the killing, to stop the violence. Right across the world people speak different languages, but you know one language that is universal? The cry of a child – and the world cannot ignore the cries of the children of Gaza any longer.”

Mr Harris used the majority of his speech to hail the relationship between the US and Ireland and said that the two-way commercial relationship was worth more than 1 trillion dollars.

Mr Harris said there were 970 US companies invested in Ireland employing 210,000 people directly, and that there were 700 Irish companies employing 110,000 people directly across every single state in the US.

Mr Harris said that US investment in Ireland was taken for granted by some of Ireland’s elected representatives.

“We didn’t get to this place easily in terms of so many companies investing and creating jobs, and we can never take that for granted. Nobody owes Ireland a living. We have to constantly look to see how can we compete. How can we do better? How can we improve our infrastructure?”

Mr Harris said that one of Ireland’s biggest issues was infrastructure deficits and said that the lack of affordable housing in Ireland was his “biggest concern bar none”.

He said that Ireland was too small a country to have a “fragmented” approach for mega infrastructure projects, and said a Department of Infrastructure was needed in the next government to “cut through bureaucracy, to be polite”.

He also praised President Biden for appointing Joe Kennedy III as the US economic envoy to Northern Ireland.

He said that although an enduring peace had arrived in Northern Ireland, “full prosperity” had yet to be realised.

“I am so conscious that the bombs have stopped on the island of Ireland. They stopped when I was around 11 years of age.

“It is so exciting that we are now beginning to have conversations about how we can harness the benefits and the framework of the Good Friday Agreement to bring economic prosperity and wellbeing to everybody in Northern Ireland, the island of Ireland, and indeed, between the two islands that are Ireland and Britain.”