A joint-Opposition motion calling on the Government to urgently present the Occupied Territories Bill and pass it through the Oireachtas before the end of the year has been carried.
The Government did not oppose the motion this morning. It was tabled by People Before Profit-Solidarity with the support of other Opposition parties.
The bill will ban trade with the Occupied Palestinian Territory by making any import from there an offence under the Customs Act, but does not cover services.
This will mean that the bill will be enforced by customs officers. They will have the power to inspect, search and arrest anyone seeking to import goods from Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory.
Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs Thomas Byrne confirmed the Government decision in his response for Government at the start of the Dáil debate, which was not initially attended by new Minister for Foreign Affairs Helen McEntee.
Mr Byrne told the Dáil that "our position has been consistent and clear for decades" and that "it is a fragile moment" for the peace process in Gaza.
He later said "we've said we've no policy issue with the inclusion of goods and services", before adding that this "must be legally robust" to any legal challenges.
He repeated the comment moments later, saying "Government has said repeatedly it is committed to passing the bill", and that discussions are continuing in the EU about wider action.
Speaking at the start of the debate on the motion, People Before Profit-Solidarity TD Richard Boyd Barrett told the Dáil that in his view Government is speaking "out of both sides of its mouth" by not passing the Occupied Territories Bill to date.
He said that "there are simply no excuses left for this Government" to have not passed the bill so far, and that politically and legally it has been cleared to include both goods and services in the bill by advice from the Oireachtas foreign affairs committee and advice from the Attorney General.
Mr Boyd Barrett criticised Ms McEntee over the Occupied Territories Bill.
It comes after she told RTÉ's Prime Time that she is "committed" to is passing the bill.
Mr Boyd Barrett said: "I hope the fact that the new minister not being here isn't some sign of [a] more disrespectful attitude towards this bill and taking the issue seriously".
Labour Party TD Duncan Smith has said he was "absolutely disgusted" that Ms McEntee was not present in the Dáil for the debate on passing the bill.
Mr Smith told the chamber that members of the Government on the pre-legislative scrutiny committee agreed with the unanimous decision that services should be included in the bill.
He said previous minister for foreign affairs Simon Harris had committed to passing the next stage of the bill before the end of November.
"It's on the Dáil record - the end of November - it's 19th November now, no sign of it. Another promise broken," Mr Smith said.
People Before Profit-Solidarity TD Paul Murphy said "there's going to be an army of occupation" in Palestine due to the peace plan.
He said the plan is being led by US President Donald Trump and former British prime minister Tony Blair, saying "what is absent from the peace plan is the Palestinian people".
Deputy Murphy said the opposition has "two very simple asks, one to pass the Occupied Territories Bill before Christmas and two to include goods and services".
He said the Government's position so far is "a complete joke, it makes a mockery of this place [Dáil]".
Mr Murphy said despite the Oireachtas foreign affairs committee supporting goods and services being included he believes there will be a "risk" committee members will be "pressured" to vote against both being included, claiming "you want to water this down".
Sinn Féin TDs call on Government 'not to look away' on OTB
A number of Sinn Féin TDs called on the Government to pass the Occupied Territories Bill during the motion in the Dáil.
Sinn Féin's Spokesperson on Foreign Affairs Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire said doing the right thing "requires the Irish Government not to look away", adding that Slovenia and Spain's parliaments are already passing similar legislation.
Mr Ó Laoghaire said "we will be keeping the pressure on" and repeated that "the correct political decision is to not look away".
Party colleague Louise O'Reilly said Ireland needs to pass the bill, stating that this country "stood up to the vicious apartheid regime in South Africa, that was leadership" and that the same should happen now.
Ms O'Reilly said "there is nothing left in Gaza, it has been bombed to oblivion", before saying "if we're not going to stand up now then when in the name of Jesus will we, pass the Occupied Territories Bill in full, we'll sit all night, we could do it now".
In a later Dáil contribution, Sinn Féin TD Thomas Gould referenced international campaigner Greta Thunberg, who he said had warned "I'm not scared of Israel, I'm scared of a world that has seemed to lose all sense of humanity".
