McEntee addresses INTO as Gaza protests greet her Galway appearance

The Minister for Education was greeted by primary school teachers calling for Government action on the Occupied Territories Bill as she arrived at the union's annual congress in Galway this morning.
Helen McEntee made her first address as minister for education to the Irish National Teachers' Organisation (INTO) this Tuesday morning as almost 1,000 delegates gathered in Galway.
On Monday evening, the union passed a motion endorsing the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) campaign, and expressing solidarity with the Palestinian people while adopting a resolution that 'utterly condemns the ongoing genocide in Gaza.'
The motion received strong support from those attending.
Protesters standing outside the Galmont Hotel on Tuesday morning held placards and chanted: "Occupation no more."
Addressing the conference, minister McEntee said: "Too many children in the world are living in poverty, are experiencing war and upheaval from the safe haven of their homes."
In particular, the children of Gaza, she said, who are "living through unimaginable pain" and experiencing hunger and loss like you could never imagine.
I think again of the late Pope Francis who phoned Gaza's Holy Family parish every evening since October 2023 and his views were very clear: war is a defeat."
"Make no mistake, what we are seeing on our television screens every single evening is a war on children unfolding before our very eyes."
The Government is "absolutely committed" to its objectives and goals.
"There must be a permanent ceasefire agreed. All hostages must be released, peace must be negotiated. Above all else, this barbarity on our children must end."
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INTO congress endorses Boycott Divestment Sanctions campaign in support of Palestinian people

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