Results 6,441-6,460 of 6,465 for speaker:Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Trade Relations (16 Jul 2025)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: Yet again this week, we have seen statements by US President Donald Trump in relation to bruising and punishing tariffs on European economies and, by extension, Ireland. The debate around tariffs has gone back and forth. Deadlines have been postponed, not met. However, we would be foolish to dismiss the risks to Ireland. For workers in the sectors most at risk, it is not an exaggeration...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Trade Relations (16 Jul 2025)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: I return to the issue of vulnerabilities. It may be the case that the issue of new tariffs has come onto the table since the election of President Trump for the second time. It has returned to the agenda. Sinn Féin and others in the Opposition have made the case for many years that, even aside from tariffs, Ireland is vulnerable to a change in the economic climate because of the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: General Scheme of Israeli Settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (Prohibition of Importation of Goods) Bill 2025: Discussion (Resumed) (15 Jul 2025)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: I thank the guests for being here. I observe two things at the outset, to respond to Mr. Cohen's statements. It is important to put on the record I abhor antisemitism and I regret very much if there are people from the Jewish community who have felt any increase to that in recent years. It is wrong and it should absolutely be the case the Jewish community feels welcome and a part of Irish...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: General Scheme of Israeli Settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (Prohibition of Importation of Goods) Bill 2025: Discussion (Resumed) (15 Jul 2025)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: Thank you.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: General Scheme of Israeli Settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (Prohibition of Importation of Goods) Bill 2025: Discussion (Resumed) (15 Jul 2025)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: Thank you. Mr. Shatter has made the point regarding the balance between effect and symbolism and so on and he has also made the point on the scale of goods and so on. Is it fair to say-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: General Scheme of Israeli Settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (Prohibition of Importation of Goods) Bill 2025: Discussion (Resumed) (15 Jul 2025)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: The interplay of symbolism and effect of political actions. Is it not fair to say Ireland is a small country and many actions undertaken by an Irish Government in the international context could be categorised as limited in impact?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: General Scheme of Israeli Settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (Prohibition of Importation of Goods) Bill 2025: Discussion (Resumed) (15 Jul 2025)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: This cannot be the only element of Ireland's approach to the Middle East, Israel and the occupied territories. Clearly, a great deal more is needed. As an international conference happens this week and next week, it is important the Irish Government plays a full role in it, however, as legislators we must also look to what we can do ourselves domestically. A similar charge relating to...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: General Scheme of Israeli Settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (Prohibition of Importation of Goods) Bill 2025: Discussion (Resumed) (15 Jul 2025)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: Others have covered some of the ground I was going to cover. The objections to the Bill are on a number of bases. The first is whether it is economically wise, and how to balance that against the moral question. We will have further discussion of that. The second is whether it is possible under EU law. We have had fair discussion of that point. The third is whether the occupied...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: General Scheme of Israeli Settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (Prohibition of Importation of Goods) Bill 2025: Discussion (Resumed) (15 Jul 2025)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: I will direct my question to anyone else but will also add a supplementary point. Would Dr. Reynolds, Ms Crawley or Ms Al Tamimi have a view that were those actions to be replicated, the symbolism and economic impact on the settlements would be considerable? Would that happen if such a position were adopted by multiple European countries and others across the world?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: General Scheme of Israeli Settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (Prohibition of Importation of Goods) Bill 2025: Discussion (Resumed) (16 Jul 2025)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: I thank Mr. O'Brien for his attendance. It is appreciated. I wish IBEC the best with its pre-budget launch, which I think is tomorrow. I am afraid I will not be able to attend as I have another commitment. I have a series of questions, most of which are brief, so I ask Mr. O'Brien to be as concise as he can in answering. Does IBEC accept that trade with the occupied territories is a...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: General Scheme of Israeli Settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (Prohibition of Importation of Goods) Bill 2025: Discussion (Resumed) (16 Jul 2025)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: I understood that the EU-Israel trade agreement distinguishes in terms of services. That is not IBEC's position.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: General Scheme of Israeli Settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (Prohibition of Importation of Goods) Bill 2025: Discussion (Resumed) (16 Jul 2025)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: Yes, except that in the midst of some the discussion today, there is a distinction to be made. This legislation foresees, if someone is engaged in such trade, that they would potentially face sanction. It is not necessarily the same as tax law or such matters. However, to some extent there is a conflation between whether something can be legislated for and how difficult it will be to prove...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: General Scheme of Israeli Settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (Prohibition of Importation of Goods) Bill 2025: Discussion (Resumed) (16 Jul 2025)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: Mr. O'Brien said earlier that he thinks there is misinformation. Does he believe the nature of this Bill has been mischaracterised abroad?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: General Scheme of Israeli Settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (Prohibition of Importation of Goods) Bill 2025: Discussion (Resumed) (16 Jul 2025)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: Does Mr. O'Brien think there is a failure to recognise the distinction made in the Bill between the State of Israel and the occupied territories? Has that been lost?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: General Scheme of Israeli Settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (Prohibition of Importation of Goods) Bill 2025: Discussion (Resumed) (16 Jul 2025)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: Some of the commentary has been that the Bill is antisemitic. Does Mr. O'Brien believe it is?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: General Scheme of Israeli Settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (Prohibition of Importation of Goods) Bill 2025: Discussion (Resumed) (16 Jul 2025)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: I agree. I thank Mr. O'Brien. Does he also agree that the Irish Government over many decades has had significant differences with the US Government on many areas of foreign policy, whether it was Iraq, Western Sahara, the Middle East or a whole range of other areas. Can Mr. O'Brien recall any instance where that had any impact on the willingness of US companies to invest in Ireland?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: General Scheme of Israeli Settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (Prohibition of Importation of Goods) Bill 2025: Discussion (Resumed) (16 Jul 2025)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: I do not want to dismiss that entirely, because it is some of the soft elements in trade but, on a related matter as regards legal instruments and hard policy, trade between the US and Ireland is not simply between the US and Ireland. It is between the US and the EU. Is that not fair to say? It is not possible, or there is no mechanism, for the US Government to levy tariffs against Ireland...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: General Scheme of Israeli Settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (Prohibition of Importation of Goods) Bill 2025: Discussion (Resumed) (16 Jul 2025)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: I get that and I do not dismiss it.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: General Scheme of Israeli Settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (Prohibition of Importation of Goods) Bill 2025: Discussion (Resumed) (16 Jul 2025)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: I hear that.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: General Scheme of Israeli Settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (Prohibition of Importation of Goods) Bill 2025: Discussion (Resumed) (16 Jul 2025)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: I hear that and I do not dismiss it at all, but I am asking a specific question. Is it the case that tariffs cannot be levied against Ireland alone, only against the EU?