Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

As Minister for Finance, I have no direct role or responsibility in respect of taking measures such as those to which the Deputy refers. However, I have asked government colleagues for information to help address some of the matters raised.

I am informed by my colleague, the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs, that Ireland and the EU distinguish between the territory of the State of Israel and the territories occupied since 1967, in line with international law and the relevant UN Security Council resolutions. A whole of Government approach is applied to this policy of differentiation, and this position is common across all Government Departments.

I am informed by my colleague, the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, that Ireland’s trade relations with Israel are governed by a Free Trade Agreement as part of an overarching EU-Israel Association Agreement, which came into force in June 2000. The Free Trade Agreement does not recognise Israel’s sovereignty over the occupied territories. Products requiring origin labelling which are produced in Israeli settlements may not carry the indication ‘product of Israel’ as settlements do not form part of Israeli territory according to international law. Regarding Ireland’s economic and trade relationship with Israel, the EU's common commercial policy, which covers trade in goods and services, is a matter of exclusive EU competence.

For further consideration of this issue, the Deputy may wish to raise this matter with the responsible Ministers, which are the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs; and the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment.