Irish Government Advances Occupied Territories Bill, Faces Opposition Over Services Exclusion
The Irish Cabinet is advancing the Occupied Territories Bill to prohibit imports from Israeli settlements in Palestinian territories, aiming for enactment by mid-July. The Bill, however, excludes services, drawing criticism from opposition parties and Senator Frances Black, who argue this undermines its effectiveness. The Government cites legal advice and potential economic harm for the exclusion, despite warnings from US and Irish bodies.
The Irish Cabinet has agreed to advance the Occupied Territories Bill, targeting Israeli imports from Palestinian lands, to the Oireachtas. Minister for Foreign Affairs Helen McEntee hopes for its enactment by mid-July. The legislation, formally titled the Israeli Settlements (Prohibition of Importation of Goods) Bill 2026, will prohibit goods from Israeli settlements in occupied Palestinian territories, making importation an offense under section 14 of the Customs Act 2015. Annually, an estimated €200,000 worth of goods are imported from these territories.
Despite warnings from the Irish Embassy in Washington and the Industrial Development Authority about potential diplomatic and economic fallout, the Government is proceeding. However, the Bill will not apply to trade in services. Taoiseach Micheál Martin stated that excluding services is due to strong legal advice, implementability issues, and concerns it could harm Ireland more than others, particularly US multinationals.
Opposition TDs, including Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald, criticized Martin for excluding services, calling it a «cop-out» and accusing him of gutting the Bill. Independent Senator Frances Black, who introduced an earlier version in 2018, called the agreed legislation a «partial ban» that undermines its scope by omitting intangible services. She plans to work with opposition parties to amend it. The US embassy in Dublin has previously expressed concerns, warning of potential impacts on US businesses and possible violations of US laws penalizing boycotts of Israel. The Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission urged the Coalition to include services, citing international law that does not distinguish between goods and services in supporting Israel’s presence in occupied territories.