Dail recall on a Gaza is a ‘political football’

The Government is resisting calls to recall the Dáil from the summer recess to discuss the crisis in Gaza, accusing the opposition of using the issue as a "political football".

Consideration is being given to allow the Seanad to sit this week to allow the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Charlie Flanagan, to address the House following calls from both Sinn Féin and Fianna Fáil for a parliamentary debate on Ireland’s position.

The Minister for European Affairs, Dara Murphy, has defended the Government’s decision to abstain from last week’s UN vote to investigate allegations of Israeli war crimes in Gaza.