Taoiseach urges opposition not to 'play politics' with Occupied Territories Bill

Legislation to ban goods and services produced in illegal Israeli settlements likely to be delayed despite opposition parties' appeal for time to pass the bill

Conor O’Neill (Christian Aid), Karol Balfe (ActionAid Ireland), Senator Frances Black, who sponsored the Occupied Territories Bill, and Éamonn Meehan (Sadaka / Ireland Palestine Aliance) launching the campaign to legislate for the ban on imports from illegal Israeli settlements. Picture: Gareth Chaney

The Taoiseach has urged opposition parties to not “play politics” with the Occupied Territories Bill, as the legislation is set to be delayed until after the general election.

Sinn Féin and the Social Democrats want time to be set aside in next week’s Dáil schedule to pass the legislation — which would ban goods and services that are produced in illegal Israeli settlements in the West Bank — from being imported to Ireland.