Nessa Cosgrove (Labour)

I welcome the Minister of State. Many Senators have raised this issue as members of the foreign affairs committee. I ask for a straight answer about the timeline for the occupied territories Bill and the advice of the Attorney General. My Labour Party colleague and my party's spokesperson on foreign affairs, Deputy Duncan Smith, has asked the Tánaiste if we would get an answer in October and was told it will probably be in November. From talking to Senator Black, I understand a meeting had been scheduled for last week but because of the motion of confidence it was moved from that date and she has not been given a specific date. Many Members of this House have raised it. The Taoiseach was here last Thursday. We just want to know. It was agreed in the foreign affairs committee to include services in the Bill. Can we please get an answer on what aspects of services are believed not to be implementable? The foreign affairs committee has met international lawyers who were able to outline a clear pathway for the inclusion of services. There was a strong argument that we should not be worried about the inclusion of services, that they should be part of the Bill and that if it does not work out, it can be changed to exclude services. In my understanding, that is easily done. I acknowledge we are waiting for the advice of the Attorney General but by not including services, are we not uncompliant with the International Court of Justice? As the Minister of State knows, we have all stood on the side of justice and the majority of people in Ireland want to see this Bill passed as soon as possible, but they want the inclusion of services.

What is the point of witnesses coming before our foreign affairs committee, which deliberated for a significant amount of time, or any Oireachtas committee if its recommendations are not adhered to? Spain has banned the importation of goods and the advertisement of services. As a country, we want to go further than this. In fairness, credit where credit is due, we have been leading out on Palestine and as a country. Huge credit has to be given to Senator Black for drafting the Bill in the first place. It is going on too long. It was very much an election promise that this Bill would be enacted. How can Israel get away with genocide in front of our eyes when the International Court of Justice has made a ruling on it? How is this going to stand for humanity? I am not going to give a big lecture about it because we all know where we stand. We need a clear answer. When will we get the advice from the Attorney General? What is preventing services being included? I know the constant argument is that it will affect the trade of Irish companies because of the boycotting and divestment rule in America but we should not be trading with illegal settlements anyway.We just need to get a clear answer on it, and I thank the Minister of State for coming here to address this.