Arthur Morgan (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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Question 87: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs if his attention has been drawn to the issues surrounding the labelling of products from illegal Israeli settlements in Palestinian territory; the steps he will take, in conjunction with the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, to deal with this issue. [7237/10]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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As I have stressed in this House on many occasions, the continued expansion of Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territories represents a primary impediment to the two-State solution. It both prejudges the outcome of final status negotiations and undermines the fundamental viability of a Palestinian State. I also firmly believe that it weakens the standing of moderate Palestinian leaders and plays into the hands of extremists on both sides. These are points that both I and my officials have made directly and repeatedly to the Israeli authorities.

Within the EU, Ireland has long been among the most active Member States in ensuring that we convey our serious concerns about settlement expansion to the Israeli Government at every opportunity. The EU has made it very clear to Israel that settlement construction in the Occupied Territories, including East Jerusalem, is illegal under international law.

With regard to the issue of labelling of produce, I have been following the measures taken by the UK Government who in December issued new voluntary guidelines for retailers and importers to enable them to distinguish more clearly between produce grown in the occupied Palestinian territories and produce originating in Israeli settlements in the West Bank.

I believe that many Irish consumers might also wish to be aware if they are buying produce originating in illegal settlements and I support the introduction of a similar measure here in Ireland. Minister of State Dick Roche T.D. delivered a statement during an adjournment debate on the matter in the Dáil on 21 January which outlined in some detail our position on introducing guidelines in Ireland.

Product labelling is not the responsibility of this Department but rather is primarily a matter for other Government Departments. However, I have requested officials from my Department to discuss with the relevant other Government Departments how Ireland might follow the example of the new UK guidelines. This process is ongoing.