Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour) | Oireachtas source

Deputies will be aware of my deep concerns about continued settlement expansion. There has been a worrying increase in settlement announcements in the last year, although few of these have, as yet, begun construction. It is clear, however, that settlements are now very close to making the creation of a Palestinian state, and thus a two-State solution, physically impossible, as indeed they are intended to do.

Within the EU, Ireland has focused attention on settlements and surrounding issues such as exclusions and demolitions. The Foreign Affairs Council addressed these issues in a strong set of conclusions which it adopted in May 2012. I have emphasised to my colleagues the need for an early review by the council of these conclusions. At official level, work is proceeding in a number of areas in preparation for such a review, which I hope can take place at this month’s meeting or at the June meeting.

I believe that in the absence of a positive response by Israel to the EU’s concerns, the council should consider stronger measures. I have stated before, and do so again, that a reasonable measure to be considered in this context would be a ban on settlement goods entering the EU. However, Deputies must be clear that there is no prospect of EU agreement on such a ban and as long as this is not a viable prospect, it would be a mistake for Ireland to concentrate our efforts on this aspect.

Work is, however, proceeding on possible EU guidelines on place-of-origin labelling for settlement goods, so that consumers can recognise and decide whether or not to buy them. I have joined other EU colleagues in writing to the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy to support this move. I hope these can be agreed in the near future and believe that this would send an important political signal of the unacceptability of the settlement project.

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