Patricia Stephenson (Social Democrats)

The Tánaiste said in April that the Government would use all tools at its disposal in response to the genocide in Gaza. He said the occupied territories Bill would be back in these Houses to be passed by the end of November, yet there is still no sign of it. The work has already been done. We have had seven years to hash out the implementation of the Bill. The foreign affairs committee unanimously agreed on a cross-party basis to recommend the full implementation of the Bill, with services. Have any of the committee's recommendations been acted on by the Government?

I do not know what more one can possibly say to delay the Bill because for every half-baked excuse the Government has had a solution has been provided. At the same time, in the West Bank we know the settler movement is emboldened to unprecedented levels, aided by blatant collusion with the IDF. Palestinian villages have been targeted with vicious arson attacks. Never mind the fact that we are legally obligated to pass the Bill, the levels of violence in the West Bank make it more crucial than ever.

We keep hearing ghost stories of reputational damage internationally if the Bill were to be implemented, but no one can say with any authority what that damage might be. We heard from the American Chamber of Commerce at the foreign affairs committee and it said that not one of its members in the past year has voiced intent to pull back its operations in Ireland should the Bill be passed. In fact, we know one company in Ireland is facing a criminal investigation over accommodation listings in Israeli settlements.

Reputation is a two-way street and we have as much to lose internationally should the Government renege on its promise to pass the occupied territories Bill. I want to reinforce the point that the Government could be reneging on a promise made to the electorate less than one year ago. The Bill can be implemented, is legally sound and, in no uncertain terms, it is our obligation under international law to cease trade with illegal Israeli settlements.

The Bill must include services because without services it does not make us compliant with the International Court of Justice ruling and, indeed, international law. I have said in the Chamber before, it is simply that black and white.Frankly, it is the bare minimum. We have witnessed the crime of a generation. In the face of that, why can we not do the bare minimum?

People are watching the proceedings of the Dáil today. A motion on the occupied territories Bill is being brought forward by the Opposition. The vast majority of people in Ireland support the passing of the occupied territories Bill. The situation in Gaza and the West Bank continues to worsen. The passing of this Bill will send a very clear and loud message that our Government went in defence of Palestinians. The failure to pass this Bill suggests that our Government went to defend Palestinians but chickened out at the last minute. I do not think anyone in this Chamber wants that.