Michael Cahill (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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196. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will continue to make every effort, including facilitating the passing of the Control of Economic Activity (Occupied Territories) Bill 2018 and urging our EU colleagues to support the people of Gaza, in this time of attempted genocide of the Palestinian people; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29843/25]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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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.

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 proceeding with the commitment in the Programme for Government and have engaged with Senator Frances Black over recent weeks. On Tuesday 27 May, the Government agreed to advance work on the Heads of a Bill. This work is being progressed, with a view to bring the Heads of a Bill to Government in the coming weeks. The Government is also clear that any legislation regulating trade with illegal settlement will be advanced as a necessary step to comply with international law and not as a “boycott” of, or “sanction” against, Israel.

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.

In response to concerns regarding the situation in Gaza, on 20 May the EU Foreign Affairs Council agreed to a review of Article 2 of the EU-Israel Association Agreement. As this House is aware, Ireland and Spain had already called for this step in February 2024. This is a position that I reiterated very clearly, alongside my counterparts from Spain, Slovenia and Luxembourg, in a joint letter to the High Representative in advance of the Foreign Affairs Council.

As both I and the Taoiseach made clear in the Dáil last month, it is also our view that the operation of the Association Agreement should be suspended pending the outcome of a review of Israel’s compliance.