Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)

The approval of a prospectus document is a matter for the Central Bank of Ireland as the designated competent authority under the EU prospectus regulation. It is an operational matter for the Central Bank as the State’s financial regulator to ensure that a disclosure document for any offer of securities for sale to the public contains all the necessary information required by the EU prospectus regulation.

Under that regulation, a prospectus must be drawn up, approved and published when securities are to be offered to the public and-or admitted to trading on a regulated market in the EU. It is important to be absolutely clear that the Israeli bonds themselves are not sold by the Central Bank, nor are they listed for sale on the Irish Stock Exchange. As such, the Department of Finance does not have a role in approving any prospectus documents for issuers of bonds.

With regard to issues that have arisen on this topic such as parliamentary questions, Dáil debates, Private Members' Bills or motions, my officials to date have had regular engagement with officials from the Central Bank of Ireland and liaised with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, as that Department is the lead Department of government on overseas matters and any proposed restrictive measures against another State.

As I referenced during the Second Stage debate on the recent Private Members' Bill, the Restrictive Financial Measures (State of Israel) Bill 2025, my officials have engaged with the Attorney General’s office. In addition, the Attorney General wrote to me providing preliminary advice on the proposed Bill. My officials would also have liaised with officials from the Central Bank of Ireland in preparing for the debate in the House on the recent Private Members' Bill and motion brought by Opposition parties, on the prospectus approval process. Finally, on 11 July, the Minister of State, Deputy Troy, met with the Palestinian ambassador to Ireland.

See this speech in context