Donna McGettigan (Clare, Sinn Fein)
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17. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he is aware that according to the UN trade database Comtrade, Ireland imported €2.89 billion worth of goods from Israel in 2024, making us their largest trading partner in Europe (details supplied); and what measures he will undertake to reduce this level of trade with Israel. [32228/25]

Peter Burke (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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The Central Statistics Office is responsible for supplying Ireland official trade statistics.

Ireland’s goods trade with Israel in 2024 shows goods imports from Israel to the value of €3.8 billion in 2024, most of which is accounted for by imports in the Electrical Machinery, Apparatus & Appliances category. The next largest imports are in the Professional, scientific & controlling apparatus category, followed by small volumes of organic and inorganic chemicals.

The CSO will publish data for April 2025 shortly and will be updating data for 2024 as part of this process.

Trade activity between Irish businesses and overseas businesses has, in general, expanded over recent years with all countries, except of course for countries that are subject to EU or other international trade sanctions. This general trade growth reflects Ireland's status as a major hub of enterprise and multinational corporate activity.

Trade Policy is an exclusive competence of the European Union as part of the Union’s Common Commercial Policy. Ireland does not have discretion to act unilaterally to restrict trade or offer preferential trade terms to third countries, and we are bound to act in accordance with trade terms that are set at EU level.

As regards trade with Israel, the Government’s priority is to ensure that trade relations are compliant with international law. Highly relevant in this regard is the EU-Israel Association Agreement, which entered into force in June 2000 and which provides the overarching legal and institutional framework for political dialogue and economic cooperation between the EU and Israel and excludes any preferential treatment of goods produced in Israeli settlements in the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and other territories occupied since 1967. As the Deputy will be aware, Ireland has been to the forefront in calling for a review of the terms of that Agreement, to ascertain whether the conditions in regard to respect for human rights are being adhered to. T his is now the subject of intensive follow-up at EU level and at national level by my colleague the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade.