Tánaiste Micheál Martin has said the Government will "strongly consider intervention" in South Africa's case against Israel at the International Court of Justice.
The court today ordered Israel to prevent acts of genocide against Palestinians in Gaza and to do more to help civilians, although it stopped short of ordering a ceasefire.
Mr Martin said the Government expected Israel to "implement all provisional measures that have been ordered by the Court, in good faith and as a matter of urgency".
He said that following today’s ruling, he has asked his officials to prepare legal advice "on an urgent basis".
Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald has hailed the ruling as "very significant and landmark".
She said it was very clear that South Africa has established a prima facie case and Israel must answer it.
Ms McDonald said her view was that the only way Israel could fully adhere to the ruling is by implementing a full and complete ceasefire.
Sinn Féin will bring a Dáil motion next week calling on the Government to join with South Africa in the case.
Labour’s Foreign Affairs Spokesperson Brendan Howlin said the ICJ ruling was "a significant step towards justice for the people of Gaza".
"The provisional measures mandated by the Court are crucial. They call on Israel, as a party to the ICJ Convention, to prioritise the physical and emotional well-being of the Palestinian people. Adequate access to the means of living is a fundamental human right that must be safeguarded. The ICJ has taken a vital stance, emphasising the necessity for Israel to uphold these obligations," he said.
Deputy Howlin added: "The urgency of the matter cannot be overstated, and Ireland should join with South Africa in pushing for a thorough and just resolution to the substantive case."
'Focus on politics and diplomacy'
Earlier, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said he will respond to the ruling after the Government had analysed it.
Speaking while the ICJ was giving its ruling, Mr Varadkar said: "As a country that respects the ICJ, Ireland will, of course, abide by any rulings that the court makes."
He added: "But one thing I would say is that, if a war has ever been ended by a court order, I'm not sure what war that was. The truth is war is ended three ways - military victory by one side over the other, an armistice, or through politics and diplomacy.
"That's why our focus has been on that, on politics and diplomacy, looking for a ceasefire so that the hostages can be released, so the humanitarian aid can get in, so that the killing of Palestinian civilians can stop and also a move towards a permanent ceasefire, which would have to involve Hamas leadership and Hamas fighters leaving Gaza, allowing new Palestinian leadership to take over.
"We will consider the case and once South Africa lodges its main case, we will be in a position to decide whether or not we make an intervention and what the nature of that intervention would be.
"But this case could go on for three or four years. I don't think people on the ground in Israel or Palestine have three or four years."
'People have enough of this bloodshed'
Dr Jilan Wahba Abdalmajid, Palestinian Ambassador to Ireland welcomed the ruling, saying the case has been accepted and is valid.
She said that the expectation for a ceasefire was high and so the disappointment was high on that too, but the ruling itself is accepted and the pillars are accepted on which it is founded, which makes it binding.
She said that the ceasefire is still the demand for Palestinian people and those who support them.
"It's a must for the people of Palestine.. Enough is enough of this savage war.. The suffering of the Palestinians is too much.
"We will continue to call and demand from the international community, taking this another time to the (UN) Security Council. There should be a way to implement the rules of the ICJ, we have to take it to the security council again and have to push the US who vetoed this ceasefire since the last time.
"I call from Ireland to the international community and especially the US to take action and put pressure on Israel to stop this barbaric war against the Palestinians, there must be opposition.
"People have enough of this bloodshed, they demand a ceasefire," she said.
'Ruling must be adhered to'
ActionAid Ireland welcomed today’s ICJ ruling. CEO, Karol Balfe, said: "These measures - which include doing all that is needed to prevent acts of genocide including the killing of and causing of serious bodily or mental harm to Palestinians - are potent steps toward rectifying the unparalleled catastrophic situation in Gaza."
She added: "Ireland should now fulfil its stated objective to make its own submission. This ruling must be adhered to, and urgent action taken to ensure the unequivocal implementation of these crucial measures. Israel must be held accountable for its violations in Gaza."
Caoimhe De Barra, CEO of Trocáire said the Irish Government must do "everything in its power, including engaging with partners at EU and US levels to ensure that all of the provisions set out by the court are complied with by Israel".
She also called on the Government to join the substantive case with South Africa as soon as possible.
"The Irish Government also needs to continue to call for a full ceasefire and a political resolution that respects the legitimate rights of Palestinians and achieves a just peace for Palestinians and Israeli," she added.
Dublin MEP Clare Daly said the ICJ has made a "strong and nearly unanimous judgment that South Africa's case is plausible and goes forward".
She said: "Israel's contemptuous arguments have been thrown out. I regret the Government's cowardly failure to issue even a statement of support for South Africa's case. It really wasn't a tough call. It is now time to do so."
Ireland South MEP Mick Wallace said the ruling was a "huge defeat for Israel" and that it must "now act to ensure that Palestinians are no longer at risk of harm and genocidal acts".
Green Party TD for Dublin South, Patrick Costello, while welcoming the ruling, said he "disappointed that the ruling didn't go further in requesting Israel to suspend its military operations or prevent the expulsion and forced displacement of Palestinians from their homes and the destruction of Palestinian life in Gaza".
He said he would work "with colleagues in the government coalition to ensure that we continue to pressure the Minister to respond more firmly, especially around potential actions which Ireland can implement unilaterally, without being blocked by other EU countries".
People Before Profit TD Richard Boyd Barrett has said that the ICJ ruling was "a major blow to the Israeli state and its murderous campaign against the Palestinian people".
He said: "All EU states have legal obligation to take measures to prevent what maybe a genocide. There must be sanctions. If the Irish government, the EU, and the US believe in international law these countries now have an obligation to act against Israel. There now must be harsh sanctions against Israel."
Meanwhile, the Cork Palestine Solidarity Campaign (CPSC) criticised the International Court of Justice for failing to order Israel to halt its war in Gaza.
Dominic Carroll, PRO of the CPSC said: "The ICJ is clearly not in the business of stopping wars - even genocidal wars. War will go on, unencumbered by accusations of genocide. The great powers and their allies will not be hindered in their wars. The ICJ is a creature not just of the UN Security Council but of imperialism itself."
