Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 23 June 2026
106. Deputy Shónagh Ní Raghallaigh asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade further to Parliamentary Question No. 4 of 17 June 2026, the specific number of instances where she has been lobbied by Israeli and American stakeholders in relation to the proposed sanction legislation. [47831/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade has engaged with a wide range of interlocutors to ensure that Ireland’s foreign policy, including on the issue of Israeli settlements, is well known and understood.
We value these contributions as part of a robust and inclusive debate. The Government’s position and, indeed, that of the EU is clear: settlements are illegal under international law and undermine the realisation of a two-state solution.
At a national level, the Government approved the text of the Israeli Settlements (Prohibition of Importation of Goods) Bill 2026 on 26 May, and the Bill was introduced in Dáil Éireann on 10 June.
The Bill fulfils the commitment set out in the Programme for Government to progress legislation to prohibit the import of goods from Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territory.
The Bill will positively contribute towards Ireland’s compliance with its international legal obligations as identified in the 2024 ICJ Advisory Opinion, including the obligation on states to take steps to prevent trade or investment relations that assist in maintaining the illegal situation created by Israel in the occupied Palestinian territory.
While Ireland is moving ahead at national level, the Government remains clear that collective action at EU level is the strongest and most effective route. Ireland is actively pursuing that collective approach at EU level.
