Sinn Féin has accused the Government of a monumental act of bad faith in its response to the party's Dáil motion last night seeking to advance the Occupied Territories Bill.
The Government promised to progress the legislation prohibiting goods from Occupied Palestinian Territories but said substantive amendments to the current Bill are required.
Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Harris told the Dáil that after receiving legal advice on the bill drawn up by Senator Frances Black, there were major issues to overcome.
He pledged to work with all parties to get the legislation moving through the Oireachtas.
However, Sinn Féin's Spokesperson for Foreign Affairs Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire claimed the Government was watering down the bill and intended to exclude a ban on services from the legislation.
Green Party leader Roderic O'Gorman said the Government's contention that the current Occupied Territories Bill had to be replaced was simply a tactic to avoid passing the legislation.
He described it as a U-turn on what Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael had promised during the general election campaign.
While PBP-Solidarity TD Paul Murphy accused the Government of hiding behind language and bowing down to US corporations.
