Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I am happy to discuss the content of the legislation when we publish it. I want to engage with the sponsor of the Bill. We have engaged in good faith. I think the Deputy was on the committee at the time when my predecessor, the now Taoiseach, was the Minister for Foreign Affairs. We have engaged in providing information. I want to take stock now of where that is at with the latest legal advice and opinions from my Department's legal people, the views of the Senator as the sponsor of the Bill and the commitment in the programme for Government. As I said to the Deputy's party spokesperson, I will update the House after I have had that meeting. I am happy to do so next week.

I accept the Deputy's question is about the Israeli settlements. The reason I make the point is because the position of this country is regularly misrepresented internationally. We differentiate clearly between the State of Israel and the illegal Israeli settlements as outlined by the ICJ advisory opinion. The other point is that we need to go at this in a parallel way. Of course, there are options available to this country which we are pursuing, as per the Deputy's question. There is also work that can be done at an EU level. This document was agreed by all 27 member state and recognises the difference between the State of Israel and the illegal Israeli settlements.

See this speech in context