Results 21-40 of 2,050 for speaker:Frances Black

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) (2 Jul 2025)

Frances Black: We know what is happening. I was in the West Bank back in 2018 just before I introduced this Bill. Obviously we introduced it for all occupied territories, all illegal occupied territories, and all illegal settlements in any occupied territory. What I saw with my own eyes when I was in the West Bank was pretty horrendous. I saw how people's lands, houses and farm lands were taken off them...

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) (2 Jul 2025)

Frances Black: When I had the conversations with the Tánaiste he said if we got the legal detail right he would be willing to accept services and I am very hopeful about that. I genuinely believe we will get the legal detail right. I am really looking forward to seeing what the Attorney General’s advice is. I hope it is sooner rather than later. I would love for the committee to consider...

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) (2 Jul 2025)

Frances Black: I am hopeful for the people of Palestine. I can only go back to the experiences I had in Palestine when I was at the border protest in May 2018 when a young child looked into my eyes and said to me “Why does nobody care about us?” They are the things that keep me going. I still think of those children who were at the border protest. I took photographs of their beautiful...

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) (2 Jul 2025)

Frances Black: No.

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) (2 Jul 2025)

Frances Black: No, it does not.

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) (2 Jul 2025)

Frances Black: I do not think so. Including services is absolutely crucial. Last year, as we know and as my colleagues have said, the International Court of Justice, the highest court in the world, stated clearly that the Israel's settlements are illegal, end of, and that all countries must end all trade with them. All trade, full stop. I would like us to follow what the International Court of Justice...

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) (2 Jul 2025)

Frances Black: That means including both physical goods and services. We have to look at what those products are, including dates and oranges, and services such as tech and IT. My colleagues can go into more detail about services. That is the standard the Government now needs to meet; there is no doubt about that. There is no legal barrier to doing 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) (2 Jul 2025)

Frances Black: Sure.

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) (2 Jul 2025)

Frances Black: We could pass this Bill in the autumn. I would love to see it passed before the recess, ideally. That would be great. I am willing to sit through the recess but I am sure other people would not be too happy with that. I genuinely think that once this report is done, once the work is done and once we have the Attorney General's report, we can get this done by the autumn. That would be my-----

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) (2 Jul 2025)

Frances Black: Sorry, Senator, Mr. O'Neill wishes to come in.

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) (2 Jul 2025)

Frances Black: I will hand over to Mr. O'Neill and Mr. Liston. Before I do, I will say that I would like to see the legal detail on that issue. I still have not seen the proper legal detail. We will see what the Attorney General has to say. I will hand over to Mr. Liston on the issue.

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) (2 Jul 2025)

Frances Black: I will hand over to Mr. O'Neill, who wants to come in.

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) (2 Jul 2025)

Frances Black: I agree with my colleague. To suggest that this is in any way antisemitic is completely untrue. I condemn all forms of racism, including antisemitism. When we talk about international law, we refer to the laws drawn up after the Second World War in the wake of the horrors of the Holocaust. People said that it should never happen again, to anyone. As my colleague has said, many Jewish...

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) (2 Jul 2025)

Frances Black: I was happy to have those talks with the Tánaiste and I was happy with how he delivered. He said the Government is open to the fact if it gets the legal detail right. I was happy about that and I am happy that he has taken this on board. I welcome it but I will be happier when it is done and I will be really happy when it is done. I have been here a few times before, so I find 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) (2 Jul 2025)

Frances Black: I have had no reaction from the United States, to be honest.

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) (2 Jul 2025)

Frances Black: We have had reaction from Australia. They have already been in contact with our office. It is people in the political system who want to have a conversation about this. There is no doubt about it: momentum is shifting on this. Hundreds of thousands of people are marching all over the world on this issue. It is beyond belief as to why there is not more happening from the international...

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) (2 Jul 2025)

Frances Black: I thank the Deputy.

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) (2 Jul 2025)

Frances Black: I thank the Chair. Before coming to my final point, I hope the Chair will not mind my taking of a minute to thank all of the wonderful activists and organisations that I have been working with over the past seven years. This has been an incredible journey along with my two colleagues here, who have been unbelievable. I thank all of the people who came to the packed meetings all over this...

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) (2 Jul 2025)

Frances Black: I would much rather it were applied to goods and services. It is vital that we include services in this Bill. The reality is that goods comprise 17% of trade while services comprise 70%. It is really important that we include both goods and services. That would make this Bill much stronger. It would be much more powerful and would send a powerful message.

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 (1 Jul 2025)

Frances Black: I will pass over to Senator Michael McDowell, if that is okay, and come back in after him.