An Oireachtas committee will start discussing the Occupied Territories Bill on Tuesday, when senior officials from the Department of Foreign Affairs are questioned by TDs and Senators on a summary of the Bill published by the Government last week.
The Bill begins pre-legislative scrutiny and will continue on Wednesday when Senator Frances Black, who originally proposed the legislation back in 2018, appears before the foreign affairs committee.
Supporters of the Bill want it to be rushed through the Houses of the Oireachtas and passed into law before the summer break, but most sources acknowledge that is not feasible.
Last week, the Government published the heads of the Bill – a section-by-section summary – of the Israeli Settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (Prohibition of Importation of Goods) Bill 2025, its version of the Occupied Territories Bill proposed by Senator Black.
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It would ban the import of goods produced in the Israeli settlements, which are, according to International Court of Justice, illegally occupied Palestinian territories.
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However, the Government’s version does not include a ban on services, which it says is not possible under European law, though that is disputed by pro-Palestine campaigners. The foreign affairs officials are expected to be questioned on this point.
It is expected that many committee members will seek to agree on a recommendation for the inclusion of services in the proposed legislation when the pre-legislative process is completed and a report compiled for the Government.
The process will continue over the coming weeks as the committee hears from several groups and interested parties, though it is not clear if the Israeli government will be invited to make a submission to the committee.
Israel withdrew its ambassador, Dana Erlich, from Dublin last year in protest at what it said was the anti-Israel stance of the Irish Government, something strongly disputed by Taoiseach Micheál Martin and Tánaiste Simon Harris. Allowing the Bill to begin its passage through the legislative process was specifically cited by the Israelis as part of the reason for closing their embassy here.
“We have been putting in place arrangements for extra sittings,” said Fianna Fáil TD John Lahart, who chairs the committee. “We’ll produce a report which will tee up the Dáil debate on the Bill.”
There is some nervousness in Government about the possible consequences of passing the Bill, with the US government and business organisations underscoring their opposition to the measure.
While the amount of trade between the State and the Occupied Territories is minuscule, the proposed legislation is seen – by supporters and opponents – as an important test case. Other European countries, frustrated with the lack of EU action against Israel on Gaza, have been asking the Irish Government about the legislation.
