Kevin

Lots of work to do in the next few weeks and a big challenge ahead! 🇵🇸🇵🇸 What Govt have announced today is essentially a partial ban on trade with the illegal Israeli settlements. Seeking to ban the import of physical goods like fruit and vegetables, shamefully stolen from Palestinian farmers in the occupied West Bank, is important and necessary and was included in my original legislation. But it's not enough. It omits the majority of Irish trade, in intangible services like tech and IT, which would greatly undermines the scope of the legislation. Govt still haven’t given any coherent, detailed justification for this. We need to see that in the Dáil urgently. Last year, the Oireachtas Foreign Affairs Committee spent weeks listening to officials and legal experts on this issue, and voted unanimously, including Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil members, that the ban should be comprehensive and include all trade, both goods and services. That is the standard set in the original Occupied Territories Bill which I tabled, and it’s what the International Court of Justice has clearly said is required under international law. It’s deeply disappointing that the Govt seems to be disregarding this, but it’s not too late for them to do what’s necessary. When the Bill finally hits the floor of the Dáil in the coming weeks I will be working with all opposition parties to table amendments to include services. That has been my clear position since 2018 and I'll do everything in my power to make it happen.