Shónagh Ní Raghallaigh (Kildare South, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

187. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade when she expects to bring forward the Israeli Settlements (Prohibition of Importation of Goods) Bill 2025 to the Houses of the Oireachtas; if she will consider including a ban on services in the Bill to ensure maximum effectiveness of the sanctions; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40932/26]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

On 26 May, the Government approved the text of the Israeli Settlements (Prohibition of Importation of Goods) Bill 2026. The main purpose of the Bill is to prohibit the importation of goods into the State from Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territory, in line with the Programme for Government commitment.

Once the Bill is enacted and commenced, the importation of goods originating in the settlements into Ireland will be an offence under section 14 of the Customs Act 2015.

The Government has a responsibility to ensure that any legislation is capable of being implemented effectively, is legally robust and able to withstand challenge.

The Government sought and received advice from the Attorney General on the legal permissibility of an EU Member State adopting measures to prohibit trade in services with a third country or territory.

In the case of goods, a public policy exception exists in the EU regulation which controls the import of goods. This allows Member States to adopt prohibitions on the import of goods for public policy reasons.

There is no equivalent or similar broad public policy exception relating to external trade in services.

In addition, given the nature of trade in services, which are wide-ranging and in many cases digital or intangible, there would be huge challenges regarding the effective implementation and enforcement of any such restriction on trade in services.

It should be noted that a number of EU Member States have taken steps, or are in the course of taking steps, to enact similar measures, all of which focus primarily on prohibiting the importation of goods.

It remains the Government’s preference that collective action would be taken at EU level, and we continue to pursue this as this will have a greater impact.