Government accused of 'mothballing' Occupied Territories Bill 

Opposition TDs also called for greater sanctions on Israel

While justice minister Helen McEntee said she shared many of the concerns that motivated the People Before Profit (PBP) bill, she said she does not believe it would be 'the most effective or legally sustainable path forward'.

The Government has been accused of "mothballing" and "abandoning" the Occupied Territories Bill during a debate on sanctions against Israel.

Members of the opposition spoke passionately in the Dáil on a bill that would implement full economic sanctions on the state of Israel by prohibiting all trade, investment, financial dealings, and state-linked economic activity with the entire Israeli regime.

Bringing forward the bill, Paul Murphy suggested that the Irish Government in acknowledging the genocide being carried out against Palestinians in Gaza, is complicit due to its lack of action against Israel.

Calling on justice minister Helen McEntee to support the bill, he said: "If the minister knows Israel is committing genocide and she opposes bills that are proposed to try to pressure on Israel to stop the genocide that is ongoing, what does that make her and the other members of the government? It makes them complicit in genocide."

While Ms McEntee said she shared many of the concerns that motivated the People Before Profit (PBP) bill, she said she does not believe it would be "the most effective or legally sustainable path forward".

She said: "The bill before the House would, in practice, amount to a blanket prohibition on trade in all goods, and certain services, between Ireland and Israel.

"In effect, this amounts to a boycott, divestment, and sanctions approach with respect to Israel. The Government does not support that approach, although we fully recognise the right of individuals and organisations to make their own decisions in this regard."

Ms McEntee said the coalition instead will continue to call for sanctions at EU level. She said the Government will also act domestically by progressing the Occupied Territories Bill.

Labour's Duncan Smith was among those who strongly hit out at the Government, telling the Dáil that he does not believe that Ms McEntee or the coalition are committed to progressing the Occupied Territories Bill, which was first introduced by senator Frances Black eight years ago.

I have no doubt that the minister has mothballed that legislation. I have no doubt whatsoever. I am enraged that we are in this situation.

Mr Smith described a pre-election promise made by Simon Harris as "honeyed words".

"He made a promise. A promise broken. A promise that was in the programme for Government. A promise made to the people of Ireland before the last election. A promise that carried across the water and across the continent to the Palestinian people. They knew that this Bill, if it was passed, would probably not save one life but it was a symbol, a tangible symbol," he said.

Socials Democrats TD Sinéad Gibney also described the Government's promises on the bill as “hollow words”.

"What does Israel have to do for this Government to support a boycott, divestment, sanctions, BDS, approach? What does it have to do? What atrocities has it not yet done to the people of Gaza and now to the people of Palestine or to Lebanon? What? I just cannot think of any more atrocities in my head that it must commit for this Government to actually sanction Israel," she said.

The PBP bill will be voted on next week.

• Elaine Loughlin is Political Editor.