LAST UPDATE | 31 Oct
OPPOSITION PARTIES HAVE offered their private members time in the Dáil next week to allow the Occupied Territories Bill to progress before an election is called.
It is now widely expected that the Taoiseach will dissolve the Dáil next Thursday, however there have been calls from the Opposition for the proposed legislation to be passed before the Dáil is dissolved.
Yesterday, Tánaiste Micheál Martin formally requested that a government-imposed block on the bill, known as the ‘money message’ be removed, allowing the legislation to pass to committee stage.
In recent weeks, the Government has been seriously considering enacting the bill in light of a recent International Court of Justice advisory opinion that stated the settlements in Palestine by Israel were illegal. However, coalition leaders have said the legislation could not be passed before an election is held.
In somewhat of an unusual move, Sinn Féin have this afternoon offered to give up its two hours of private members time next week to facilitate the bill going through all stages and to be passed into legislation.
Speaking to reporters at Leinster House this afternoon, Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald said it is very late in the day that the government has decided to push on with the legislation.
Shortly after, Social Democrats leader Holly Cairns made a similar offer.
She said there is no reason why there should be more delays in progressing with the proposed legislation and accused the government have displaying delay tactics.
“We want to see his on the statute books,” she said, stating that the “right thing” is that the Occupied Territories Bill is made law in advance of the election campaign.
McDonald said if the government is serious about passing this legislation, then it should avail of the opportunity that Sinn Féin is presenting next week. “It is long past time that this should happen,” she added.
Sinn Féin Chief Whip Pádraig Mac Lochlainn said the party “will do whatever we can to make this happen”. He added that there can “be no more excuses from government.
“We do not believe that the government are serious about this legislation. We wrote to the Taoiseach last week proposing a Dáil recall this week. He didn’t take this opportunity.
He added that there was “no excuse” for this legislation not to be passed before the Dáil is dissolved. Mac Lochlainn said it was the “very least” the State could do in solidarity with the Palestinian population.
Social Democrats leader Holly Cairns said passing the legislation would be a “fitting end” to this Dáil term and “send a powerful message of solidarity”.
“I am urging the Government to seize this valuable opportunity to get this important bill, which would prevent Ireland from importing goods that originate from illegal Israeli settlements, over the line,” she said in a statement.
Cairns added that the Government now “has the chance to do the right thing”.
Labour leader Ivana Bacik said today her party would be willing to facilitate the required legislative steps that are needed to pass the legislation, stressing that it is possible to do so before the country goes to the polls.
Last week, People Before Profit TD Paul Murphy said the government’s failure to progress the legislation until now was “extremely cynical” ahead of an election.
Bacik rejected this notion today, arguing that it is important that progress is now being made. She added however, that the money message obstacle should not have been imposed by the Government in the first place.
“It can be done before the Dáil is dissolved. We are calling on government to do that before the Dáil is dissolved,” she said.
The bill was first brought forward by independent senator Frances Black in 2018.
It seeks to prevent Ireland from trading in goods and services imported from illegally occupied territories anywhere in the world, which would include the occupied territories in Palestine.
In recent weeks, the Government has been seriously considering enacting the bill in light of a recent International Court of Justice advisory opinion that stated the settlements in Palestine by Israel were illegal.
With reporting by Christina Finn
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