Sinéad Gibney (Dublin Rathdown, Social Democrats)
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197. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade whether Ireland has been invited to the emergency ministerial meeting on Palestine being hosted by the Hague Group in Bogotá on 15 and 16 of July 2025, if he intends for us to join the Hague Group; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37200/25]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Both I and my officials interact with a wide variety of international partners on the Middle East which remains a major priority for this Government.

Ireland’s engagement is guided by our longstanding and principled position, notably respect for international law, respect for the equal right to self-determination, peace, security and dignity for Israelis and Palestinians alike, and unwavering support for the two-State solution. While Ireland is not a member of the group referred to by the Deputy, this Government is committed to working with partners around the world in service of these objectives.

In the current context, the situation in Israel and Palestine remains a standing agenda item on the Foreign Affairs Council each month. This enables me to exchange with EU counterparts on this key priority on a monthly basis. The next meeting of the Foreign Affairs Council will take place on 15 July.

Ireland has been centrally involved in the Global Alliance for the Implementation of the Two-State Solution which was founded at UN High Level Week last year and has met several times since then.

Across all its bilateral and multilateral engagement, Ireland has consistently underlined the need for all parties to comply with international law, including international humanitarian law.

Ireland is a steadfast supporter of the International Criminal Court, as well as the principles and values enshrined in the Rome Statute.

Ireland has filed a Declaration of Intervention at the International Court of Justice in South Africa’s case against Israel under the Genocide Convention on 6 January; and in The Gambia’s case against Myanmar on 20 December 2024.

On 28 February of this year, Ireland also filed a detailed written submission with the ICJ in advisory proceedings concerning the obligations of Israel in relation to the UN and other international organisations, as well as states, in the occupied Palestinian territory.

My overarching priority is to contribute to a coordinated and consolidated effort by the international community as a whole to support the ceasefire and hostage release agreement and the surge of humanitarian access into Gaza it makes possible; to safeguard the two-State solution; to work towards the return of the Palestinian Authority to Gaza in accordance with UN Security Council 2735 and to uphold the equal right to self-determination, peace, security and dignity for Israelis and Palestinians alike.