Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 10 December 2025
91. Deputy Conor D. McGuinness asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade further to Parliamentary Question No. 145 of 4 December 2025, the areas of legal uncertainty she is referring to as to whether the inclusion of services is permissible under EU law. [70842/25]
View answerAs noted in my response to Parliamentary Question No.145 of 4 December 2025, the main purpose of the Israeli Settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (Prohibition of Importation of Goods) Bill will be to prohibit the importation of goods into the State from Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory. The General Scheme of the Bill was approved by the Government in fulfilment of the commitment in the Programme for Government to progress legislation prohibiting import of those goods.
As the legal framework in respect of trade in services differs from that in goods, there remains considerable legal uncertainty as to whether the inclusion of services in the Bill is permissible under EU law. For this reason the Tánaiste sought the advice of the Attorney General on the issue. The Deputy will understand that I cannot pre-empt the advice of the Attorney General.
