Passing the Occupied Territories Bill is 'very challenging', says Tánaiste

However, a number of opposition parties have called for the Dáil to abandon its Halloween recess next week and sit to ensure the bill gets ample time to be passed

Flames and smoke rise from an Israeli airstrike on Dahiyeh, in the southern suburb of Beirut, Lebanon, on Monday. The International Court of Justice has called for countries to cease trade with Israeli-occupied territories in the West Bank. Photo: AP/Bilal Hussein

Passing the Occupied Territories Bill before the upcoming general election will be “challenging”, Tánaiste Micheál Martin has said.

Mr Martin said that the legislation is still legally difficult to bring forward, despite the International Court of Justice ruling calling for countries to cease trade with Israeli-occupied territories in the West Bank.