Calls to delay Dail summer recess to pass Occupied Territories Bill
The opposition has called on the Government to delay the summer recess in a bid to pass the Occupied Territories Bill.
Tánaiste and Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Harris received Cabinet approval on Tuesday to draft legislation that would ban the purchase of goods from illegally-occupied Palestinian Territories.
The proposal does not involve provisions to ban the purchase of services as contained in the original Occupied Territories Bill proposed by Senator Frances Black.
Mr Harris stated that the plans will be sent to the Oireachtas Foreign Affairs Committee next month.
However, there are doubts whether there will be time to have it in place by the Dáil summer recess.
The Dáil is on a one-week break next week. When it returns, it will sit for six weeks before taking its summer holidays from July 18.
The Social Democrats' foreign affairs spokeswoman, Patricia Stephenson, called on the holidays to be postponed in order to get the Occupied Territories Bill over the line.
She said: 'We need to see this bill enacted as a matter of urgency, even if this means recalling the Dáil next week and delaying summer recess.
'Almost six months into this government, we are only now seeing the Tánaiste bringing a memo to Cabinet on the drafting of a bill.
'Like the previous administration, this government has dragged its feet when it comes to progressing the Occupied Territories Bill, which was first proposed back in 2018.
'As a member of the Foreign Affairs Committee, I believe the Dáil should sit next week for pre-legislative scrutiny, which would allow the bill to progress to the final stages.
'Government condemnation of Israel's atrocities in Gaza is no longer enough – we need to see action now.'
This was echoed by Labour's Duncan Smith, who said that the Foreign Affairs Committee should 'sit as quickly and often as is necessary' to get the legislation passed.
Senator Black welcomed the Government's decision to draft the legislation but said her 'work is not done yet'.
She said: 'I first tabled the Occupied Territories Bill in 2018, and finally, after seven years of delay, I'm relieved we are finally seeing some action.
'It's horrible that it has taken so much suffering to get here and we can't afford to waste any more time.
'The onus is now on Government to act with the urgency this moment demands – to stand firmly against the horrific war crimes being committed both in Gaza and the West Bank.
'The key thing, however, is getting the detail right.
'We need to see a full ban on all trade with the illegal Israeli settlements, which includes both physical goods like fruit and veg, but also intangible services like tech and IT.
'That is the standard set in the original Occupied Territories Bill, which I tabled, and it's what the International Court of Justice has said is required.'
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