Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 21 May 2026
29. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the Government’s current position on the Israeli Settlements (Prohibition of Importation of Goods) Bill 2025; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38341/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra33. Deputy Louis O'Hara asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade for an update on the Control of Economic Activity (Occupied Territories) Bill 2018; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36516/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra52. Deputy Sinéad Gibney asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if she will set out a timeline for the introduction of the Israeli Settlements (Prohibition of Importation of Goods) Bill 2025 as well as its current status; if a sanctions package against Israel is being considered; and if she will highlight any steps or processes taken in relation to this. [38317/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra56. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade for an update on the Israeli Settlements (Prohibition of Importation of Goods) Bill 2025. [38215/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra60. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade for an update on the progress of the Israeli Settlements (Prohibition of Importation of Goods) Bill 2025; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38339/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra72. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade to outline when her Department will publish its proposals in relation to the Israeli Settlements (Prohibition of Importation of Goods) Bill 2025 on foot of advice from the Attorney General; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38340/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra76. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade to outline her plans to review the Israeli Settlements (Prohibition of Importation of Goods) Bill 2025; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38342/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra80. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade when the Government’s Bill to ban trade with the occupied territories will be introduced; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38330/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 29, 33, 52, 56, 60, 72, 76 and 80 together.
Work is advancing across a number of strands in relation to the Israeli Settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (Prohibition of Importation of Goods) Bill. Any legislation must be legally robust, able to withstand challenge and progress the Government's broader policy agenda.
In June 2025, the Government approved the General Scheme of the Bill. The Bill's main purpose is to prohibit the importation of goods into the State from Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territory, in line with the Programme for Government commitment.
Legally, the regulation of external trade in services is considerably more complex than is the case with goods at EU level. There would also be greater complexity when it comes to implementation than is the case with regard to trade in goods.
The Government has received the Attorney General’s advice on the question of whether the inclusion of services in the Bill is permissible under EU law. Advice provided by the Attorney General to the Government is confidential and subject to legal professional privilege, so you will appreciate that I cannot be drawn to discuss or speculate on the contents of the advice. However, I can say that the advice, which is detailed and extensive, identifies a number of significant legal and practical issues with the regulation by a Member State of trade in services with a country or territory outside the EU.
Following detailed consideration by officials in my Department, clarification was sought from the Attorney General on a number of legal issues. My Department has now received this clarification and officials are closely examining it.
It remains the Government’s preference that collective action would be taken at EU level and we continue to pursue this.
At the May Foreign Affairs Council, I requested that the European Commission bring forward a proposal to prohibit EU trade with Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territory, on the basis of the EU's Common Commercial Policy and for decision at the June Foreign Affairs Council. A number of other Member States also supported taking actions relating to the EU's trade with Israel.
I have also called for the suspension of the Association Agreement, or at the very least the suspension of the trade elements of the Agreement as proposed by the European Commission in September 2025, at both the April and May Foreign Affairs Councils.
I welcome the political agreement at the May Foreign Affairs Council on a package of sanctions against violent Israeli settlers and entities, as well as leading Hamas figures, under the EU Global Human Rights Sanctions Regime. This is an important step.
I reiterate that the Government supports effective and appropriate action in response to egregious Israeli breaches of human rights and democratic principles, and actions that undermine the viability of the two-State solution.
