Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 2 and 4 together.

In June, the Government approved the general scheme of the Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territory (prohibition of importation of goods) Bill. The main purpose of the Bill is to prohibit the importation of goods into the State from Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territory, including East Jerusalem. The Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade held a number of hearings on the general scheme and received submissions representing a range of views and perspectives.

Pre-legislative scrutiny is an important part of the legislative process and the Tánaiste thanked the committee for its report on receipt. Detailed work to analyse the report and its recommendations is well underway. The regulatory impact assessment is also currently being finalised by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and will be available on the Department’s website when completed, which I hope will be soon. The next steps in the process, including the timeline for the progress of the Bill, are being considered by the Government.

The general scheme fulfils our commitment in the programme for Government to prohibit the import of goods from settlements in the occupied Palestinian territory. Trade in services is considerably more complex than is the case with goods and there remains considerable legal uncertainty as to whether the inclusion of services is permissible under EU law. Legal clarity is needed on this point. This is something that I want to receive, but I made it very clear at the very outset when being appointed to this role that I intended to fulfil our commitment in the programme for Government to enact this legislation. We must also take account of practical issues with regard to the implementation should services be included in the scope of the Bill.

It remains the Government’s preference that collective action would be taken at an EU level and we continue to pursue this. In this context, Ireland has welcomed the announcements by the Dutch, Spanish, Slovenian and Belgian Governments regarding the banning of the importation of goods produced in illegal Israeli settlements.

We obviously know that those measures were introduced prior to the ceasefire, but those announcements by the Dutch, Spanish, Slovenian and Belgian Governments were welcome. We are working with all of them.

Notwithstanding the positive and welcome developments with regard to the ceasefire and hostage release deal in Gaza, Ireland has also made clear its view that the EU must keep the package of measures proposed by the Commission in response to Israeli human rights and other breaches on the table. It is an issue that Ireland raised and led the charge on. We want to ensure a significant response and to keep those measures on the table. They are very much firmly on the table.

The primary focus at EU level right now is ensuring the success of the ceasefire and peace deal, and of making a contribution to international efforts in this regard, as well as making sure that the humanitarian aid that is so badly needed does not just continue to flow but increases. There are significant concerns about the number of young people who will face starvation if the number of trucks does not increase significantly. It is essential that peace be given a chance to succeed. It is essential that the humanitarian aid and assistance that are needed are allowed to enter Gaza. The Government in Ireland will do everything in our power to ensure we support both of these objectives.

See this speech in context