Emer Currie (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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17. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade for an update on any recent engagement his Department has had with the EU regarding Palestine; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53592/25]

Emer Currie (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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18. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade for an update on his engagements with EU counterparts with regard to the re-examination of the EU-Israel Association Agreement; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53593/25]

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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25. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the current position regarding the review of the EU-Israel Association Agreement; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53946/25]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 17, 18 and 25 together.

Ireland welcomes recent proposals from the European Commission to suspend the core trade-related provisions of the EU-Israel Association Agreement. The EU-Israel Association Agreement provides that the relations between the parties will be based on respect for human rights and democratic principles, which constitute an 'essential element' of that Agreement. The suspension proposals are an extremely significant step forward. Ireland is supportive of all proposals put forward by the Commission and is working with like-minded Member States to ensure that the proposals are urgently considered by the Council, with a view to swift adoption.

Ireland has consistently called for the EU to take concrete action in response to egregious Israeli breaches of human rights and democratic principles. As the Deputy will be aware, on 14 February 2024, the then Taoiseach and Prime Minister Sanchez of Spain were the first to write to the President of the European Commission requesting an urgent review of whether Israel is complying with its human rights obligations under the EU-Israel Association Agreement. Furthermore, the letter requested that the Commission propose appropriate measures for the consideration of the Council, should it find that Israel is in breach of its obligations.

At the EU level, I consistently underline that each of the EU’s bilateral relationships must be grounded in respect for international law and our fundamental principles. I was clear with my EU counterparts at the June Foreign Affairs Council that there must now be concrete options for follow-up action to this review. At the Gymnich informal meeting of EU foreign ministers on 29-30 August, I called for immediate action in response to Israel’s breaches of its obligations under international law. The Government has always been of the view that the EU-Israel Association Agreement must be interpreted and applied in accordance with the obligations of the EU and its Member States under international law. These obligations have been clarified by the International Court of Justice in its Advisory Opinion on the Legal Consequences arising from the Policies and Practices of Israel in the Occupied Palestinian Territory of 19 July 2024.

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 June Foreign Affairs Council and I joined nine other EU Foreign Ministers in writing a letter to the High Representative calling for the EU to undertake a detailed review of its compliance with the Advisory Opinion of the ICJ. I have been calling for this work for some time, and will continue to press for action. It is essential that the EU abide by its commitments under international law.

I have always been clear that Ireland’s position on the EU-Israel Association Agreement is just one element of our efforts to shape EU policy. The European Union can, and should, continue to do more to use the levers at its disposal to exert pressure on Israel. This will remain a priority for my continuing engagement at EU level.