Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire (Cork South-Central, Sinn Fein)
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206. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade for an update on the progress of the Control of Economic Activity (Occupied Territories) Bill 2018. [27394/25]

Duncan Smith (Dublin Fingal East, Labour)
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209. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his timeline for publishing debating and enacting the Control of Economic Activity (Occupied Territories) Bill 2018; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27483/25]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 206 and 209 together.

As this House will be aware, the Government carried out an extensive analysis and review of the Occupied Territories Bill late last year.

The Government’s analysis was that substantive amendments would be required to most, if not all, of the Bill’s provisions in order to bring it in line with the Constitution and to try to reduce the risk of EU infringement procedures.

These considerations remain central to the Government’s approach. In this regard, the Programme for Government sets out a clear commitment to progress legislation prohibiting goods from the Occupied Palestinian Territory.

The Government is also clear that any legislation regulating trade with illegal settlements will be advanced as a necessary step to comply with international law and not as a “boycott” of, or “sanction” against, Israel. Consistent with the position of the EU, Ireland has been clear in underlining that policies and measures that distinguish between the State of Israel and Israeli settlements, which are illegal under international law, do not constitute a boycott of the State of Israel.

I am advancing with the commitment in the Programme for Government and have engaged with Senator Frances Black over recent weeks. On Tuesday I briefed Cabinet on the progress to date and received the agreement of the Government to advance work on the Heads of a Bill. I envisage that this work will be progressed, with a view to bring the Heads of a Bill to Government in the coming weeks.

In parallel, Ireland continues to press for action at the EU level in light of the ICJ Advisory Opinion. This was a key focus of our engagement with EU partners in advance of the Association Council in February and I welcome that the EU position contains a commitment on the part of the EU and Member States “to fully comply with international law and to implement legislation and the technical arrangement applicable to settlement products accordingly”. It is now important that the European Commission ensures that the EU’s approach is consistent with this commitment.