I have observed, over the past year or so and before then, that the biggest critics of the Irish Government are the Netanyahu government and Members of our own Opposition, regardless of what the Irish Government does and the esteem in which it and the Irish people are held internationally in relation to their stance on Palestine and their defence of Palestinians. I have met many of these representatives in this House and abroad who hold Ireland up as an exemplar. It is never enough for the Opposition but I will focus, in my own brief contribution here, on the following points. This is a good day for the people of Palestine. In the programme for Government, we committed to progressing legislation prohibiting importation of goods, albeit a small amount, from occupied Palestinian territories following the July 2024 International Court of Justice advisory opinion. This Bill is designed to provide for compliance by the State with that international legal obligation as identified by the ICJ in that advisory opinion, to take steps to prevent trade relations that assist in the maintenance of the illegal situation created by Israel in the occupied Palestinian territory and, for that purpose, to prohibit the importation of goods originating in certain Israeli settlements. I chair the Oireachtas foreign affairs committee and chaired the meetings that carried out scrutiny of the Government's proposals in this Bill. Yes, the committee recommended unanimously that services be included in the Bill. The committee never divided on any of the amendments proposed for the Bill. In other words, we were never forced to a vote, such was the unanimity of the members of the committee who undertook the scrutiny. The committee also unanimously recommended that the Government continue to pursue its optimal policy scenario of action, which is being taken in relation to Gaza at EU level. It also recommended that the Government undertakes efforts to publish and establish a range of scenarios on the potential repercussions of the measure in respect of both international relations and economic effects, and to comprehensively engage with business. That recommendation arose out of how reluctant business was to engage with the committee in its deliberations on the Bill. We were and are grateful that IBEC did engage in detail with the committee. This is what IBEC said: it warned that any deterioration in US trade with and investment in Ireland would have material impacts for households and businesses. It advised it is important that consideration of the merits of the Bill includes a recognition that these reputational costs may impact on Irish workers, households and businesses. IBEC advised that it was clear from IBEC members and their feedback that the costs for US businesses and for Ireland's reputation will be substantially greater should services be included in the scope of the Bill. My comments in the preface to the report on scrutiny of the Bill included: As Chair, I am also conscious of the different roles and responsibilities of parliamentary committees and government. Government has access to more information and carries heavier burdens in areas of governance, than a parliamentary committee. Like the Leas-Cheann Comhairle, I have represented my country on many international forums, where Ireland's commitment to enacting an occupied territories Bill is widely admired and where I expect it to be mirrored. Ireland has taken so many steps at EU level. Everywhere I go, Palestinian representatives acknowledge and recognise the leading role that Ireland played, continues to play and will always play when it comes to defending the rights of and advocating for the people of the occupied territories and of Gaza. At every meeting I attend, and as chair, I meet many representatives. I continuously advocate for Palestine, as do my colleagues, robustly and without fear. I abhor the manner in which the Israeli Government has smeared and attempted to undermine the Irish Government at every turn. I would argue that the sanctioning of two Israeli ministers by the Minister for justice, Deputy Jim O'Callaghan, last week, is far more impactful than any potential impact of an occupied territories Bill, including goods and services or not. I mentioned the critics here. I say to them that today is a good day. Is it a perfect day? No, it is not. There is always more to be done. In 2024, though, when we went before the people, we said we would enact an occupied territories Bill. We stand resolutely with the Palestinian people. Ireland stands always with Palestine. We are its strongest advocate at EU and international level. To answer the question asked by the Opposition today, history will show that today we fulfilled one commitment to enact an occupied territories Bill and that that process began in this parliamentary Chamber in Ireland today.

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