Ireland wants an expansion of the definition of genocide to bring home the enormity of what Israel is doing in Gaza, the Taoiseach has told the Dáil. The Israeli Government, with its “far-right elements”, is “committing genocide in Gaza right now,” Micheál Martin said.

The Taoiseach said Ireland, Spain and Norway had initiated recognition, followed by Slovenia, in partnership with the Arab states. But he admitted that Ireland has failed to persuade many other countries that it targeted diplomatically to join the recognition initiative.

The Taoiseach added: “We’re hoping that we will broaden the criteria by which Genocide is judged by the Geneva Convention.” Some countries have been claiming that Israel’s “slaughter” of Palestinians, as Mr Martin put it, does not constitute genocide, which means a policy of deliberate attempted extermination of an entire people.