Ms Blinne Ní Ghrálaigh:

I thank Senator Stephenson very much for that question, which is, of course, extremely important. The fact that Ireland – the Taoiseach, the Tánaiste and the Dáil – has repeatedly assessed Israel to be committing genocide is, of course, materially relevant to a Bill that concerns trade with Israel. This is because the commission by Israel of genocide gives rise to very clear obligations on Ireland not to aid and assist in that genocide and to bring it to an end. Those are obligations arising under the law of state responsibility, but obligations also arise under the Genocide Convention itself, which requires states to take all measures reasonably available to them to prevent genocide. The court has previously explained in the case of Bosnia and others that a state would breach its obligation where it manifestly fails to take measures to prevent genocide that are within its power and might have contributed to preventing the genocide.