Ruairí Ó Murchú (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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99. To ask the Minister for Finance the engagement there has been between his Department, other Government Departments, agencies and legal advisers in relation to the facilitation by the Central Bank of the sale of Israeli war bonds; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39278/25]

Ruairí Ó Murchú (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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I ask the Minister what engagement he has had, or what engagement his Department has had, with other Government Departments, agencies or legal advisers on the facilitation via the Central Bank of the sale of Israeli war bonds. We are talking about Israeli genocide bonds in real terms. We know there is a particular issue where this State has actually invested in and profited off this but we need to make sure that the State and the Central Bank find a way and means to not facilitate the sale of these bonds that are being used to facilitate war crimes.

Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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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.

Ruairí Ó Murchú (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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I think the Minister was quite clear in saying there were issues with regard to the Sinn Féin Bill. While I might contest that, I am asking whether, as a State, we have engaged with and looked at any means by which this State and the Central Bank of this State would not be facilitating these Israeli war or genocide bonds. I do not know what else you can call them.

There is the wider issue regarding the fact that this State invested in these war bonds and, no matter what figure we are talking about, to a degree has profited. On what date were the Israeli war bonds in which ISIF and the NTMA had invested sold? When he became Minister for Finance, was the Minister aware that this State was involved in investing in these Israeli war bonds, which have been used to facilitate and fund a genocide?

Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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In relation to the different questions, I was aware of the shareholding that ISIF had, indirectly in the Israeli bonds as part of the preparation for the publication of its annual report. I was not aware up to that point. The bonds have now been sold. I have outlined on other occasions, just a few moments ago, the engagement between my own officials and the Central Bank. In terms of the role that we play from a prospectus point of view, the Central Bank plays a very narrow and specific role in relation to the prospectuses and to their evaluation. It has to act in a way that is consistent with its legal obligations, and it does. I and the Governor of the Central Bank are well aware of all the debate around this matter. However, it is acting in a way that is consistent with the obligations it has on a very narrow and specific function.

Ruairí Ó Murchú (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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I get the arguments in relation to narrowness and whatever else but would it be fair to say the Minister accepts there is an issue, that anything should be done from a point of view of ensuring that the Central Bank and the State is not facilitating the sale of these Israeli war bonds and everything should be done at a European level and on a domestic level in relation to making sure that this does not continue, because it is a problem that the Irish people have?

On another issue, the Minister obviously found out that the shareholding by ISIF indirectly was happening. I assume the Minister made a decision ensuring that this would not continue. Will the Minister give us the date on which those war bonds were sold, that is, the war bonds in which the investment was made by this State?

Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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I ask the Minister to square the circle. When he said he rejects the notion that Ireland was funding or complicit in the funding of the genocide, given that these were advertised as war bonds to support the war effort in what we all in this House call not a war but a genocide, does the Minister not acknowledge there was hard cash and profiteering done on the back of the genocide?

The second issue is the Minister stated he was aware in the run-up to the production of the annual report. However, he has answered parliamentary questions as far back as February. At no time during that period did he ever ask whether there was still holding of investments in the name of the Irish State in Israel during this genocide. Please answer the question. I have asked whether the Minister has the answer. If he does not, he should provide it. When did they sell? Did he raise any concern with the NTMA or ISIF when he was told they were investing and profiteering off the genocide in the preparation for the annual report?

Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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Of course, I am happy to give the exact dates to the Deputy. I will ascertain them and come back to him on it. This decision was made by ISIF. The government bonds are no longer held by it. I am happy to come back to the Deputies with the dates they are looking for as to when the decision was made and regarding what Deputy Ó Murchú has said there. Of course I am fully aware of the debate that is there in relation to the role of the Central Bank and the role it plays on the prospectus evaluation, particularly given the debates we have had in this House on the issue. I emphasise again that it has a very narrow set of legal responsibilities to which is has to adhere. It is. It is aware, as am I, of all of the debates around the issue. It has a very small specific role. That is all it discharges.