Cabinet to discuss plans to ban goods from the Occupied Palestinian Territories
Tánaiste Simon Harris will seek Cabinet approval on Tuesday morning to draft legislation to prohibit the importation of goods from illegal settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory.
However, provisions banning services, as contained in the original Occupied Territories Bill proposed by Senator Frances Black, look set to be excluded from the legislation.
The Government has argued that Senator Black's legislation is not constitutional and would not withstand legal challenge.
Mr Harris, who is also Foreign Affairs and Trade Minister, will tell Cabinet that Israel's humanitarian blockade and renewed bombardment of Gaza have resulted in a situation of 'unprecedented gravity'.
He will state that while Ireland does minimal trade with the Occupied Palestinian Territory, the Government has been 'resolute in its determination to use every lever available to end the war in the Middle East'.
He will say there is now 'growing support at an EU level on issues where Ireland demonstrated early leadership with a small group of partners', including on the review of Israel's compliance with its human rights obligations under the EU-Israel Association Agreement, which is now taking place.
He will say the Government's desire is to pursue a twin-track approach, seeking to build support at a European level to ensure compliance with international law while advancing domestic legislation, which he hopes the relevant Oireachtas committee can begin to scrutinise in June.
Elsewhere, the Tánaiste will ask Cabinet to approve the drafting of the Arbitration (Amendment) Bill 2025, which will allow for the ratification of the EU-Canada trade deal, known as CETA.
The Tánaiste will update on the latest trade developments after US President Donald Traump's threatened 50% tariff was paused.
Mr Harris will tell colleagues that we have now passed the halfway mark of the original 90-day pause, meaning there are just 43 days left for the EU and the US to engage in meaningful and substantive negotiations aimed at reaching a deal.
He will outline that the EU has shared with the US its ideas for an 'EU-US. Agreement on Reciprocal Mutually Beneficial Trade'. This proposal includes options aimed at reducing tariffs and non-tariff barriers, promoting economic security, as well as facilitating strategic purchases, business opportunities and investment.
He will say that a far-reaching negotiated agreement that protects consumers, businesses and the economies on both sides of the Atlantic is the best outcome and that there is now no time to lose to achieve this.
He will also ask ministers to approve the participation of the Defence Forces in the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) for a further period of 12 months.
Emergency legislation to extend planning permissions that are due to lapse is due to be discussed at Cabinet following a discussion by the leaders on Monday evening..
Housing Minister James Browne and Minister of State for Planning John Cummins have worked extensively on the legislation in a bid to activate developments such as large scale apartments which might otherwise time out of their permission timeline.
The legislation, which could go before Cabinet as early as today, involves two provisions to deal with expiring permission to encourage their activation.
This will include expanding the Planning Act to allow holders of all permissions that have been through a judicial review can apply to the planning authority for a retrospective suspension of the period of time their permission was held up.
The second provision will allow developers with just two years left on their permission to apply for an extension for up to three years. The application for an extension must be made within six months of the legislation commencing and development must commence within 18 months of the commencement of the legislation.
Taoiseach Micheál Martin will update Cabinet on the latest progress on developing a new National Digital Strategy..
He will outline Ireland's ambitions in digital and AI alongside Public Expenditure Minister Jack Chambers and Enterprise Minister Peter Burke.
Long-awaited mental health legislation will be progressed further today, with Minister for Mental Health Mary Butler and Health Minister Jennifer Carroll MacNeill proposing over 200 amendments at Committee Stage. They will also propose to progress the Bill at Committee stage in the coming weeks.
Minister Butler has formally written to the Mental Health Commission to request that it begin the development of new standards to regulate Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) in preparation for the commencement of the legislation.
Higher Education Minister James Lawless will unveil plans for the launch of Springboard+ 2025, which sees investment in 7,739 funded places across 250 courses in 38 higher education institutions.
Disabilities Minister Norma Foley will present a Cabinet memo on the implementation of the European Accessibility Act from June 28 2025 onwards.
The European Accessibility Act is designed to ensure that designated products and services are accessible to people with disabilities.
This includes computers and operating systems, ATMs, e-ticketing and check-in machines, digital television services, banking services, and telephony services, including smartphones.
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Irish Times
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