Patrick Costello (Dublin South Central, Green Party)
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246. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his views on the difference between breaches of international law by Russia in its invasion of Ukraine and those by Israel as part of its illegal occupation of Palestine; the response to Israel's occupation and oppression of Palestinians he would regard as appropriate; if he regards restrictive economic measures as an appropriate response in instances of illegal occupation and annexation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25422/22]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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The Middle East Peace Process remains a key foreign policy priority for the government and Ireland continues to support a two-State Solution based on international law, the relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions and in line with previously agreed parameters.

Ireland raises issues of compliance with international law in our bilateral contacts with the Government of Israel and regularly in multilateral fora, including in the context of our current term on the UN Security Council.

Since the invasion of Ukraine, the EU has adopted a wide range of sanctions targeting Russia as part of a coordinated international response with the US, Canada, UK and others. Ireland does not have any unilateral sanctions regimes and the Government has no plans to introduce any. Ireland implements UN sanctions, and EU sanctions adopted as part of the Common Foreign and Security Policy.

The introduction of new sanctions regimes at UN level requires a vote by the Security Council, and new EU sanctions regimes require consensus among all EU Member States. There is no consensus either among EU Member States or at the UN Security Council in support of introducing sanctions against Israel.