Rose Conway-Walsh Demands Action on Firms Linked to Settlements

Good morning. Thank you very much, Lasky Heerlach. Minister, my first question is in relation to asking you to provide a list of companies operating in Ireland which are trading with linked companies located in the occupied Palestinian territories. In 2020, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights published a listing of all businesses involved in the illegal Israeli settlements. It was highly significant development naming those in the corporate world complicit with the war crime that is Israel's settlement enterprise and that database was set up in 2023. Minister. Thank you, Lasky Heerlach and I thank the deputy for the question. The government's position and indeed that of the EU is clear. Settlements are illegal under international law and undermine the realisation of a two-state solution. So while decisions regarding the operations of individual companies rest with those companies, a corporate decision to engage in economic and financial activities in settlements poses potentially a significant reputational, legal and financial risk. The government does not maintain a list of companies operating in Ireland that may be trading or linked with companies located in Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territory. Ireland does not engage or support in any way economic and financial activities in such settlements. Ireland has not issued any export licences for dual use or other goods in such settlements. Ireland does, however, strongly support the promotion of legitimate trade relations with the Palestinian Authority. At EU level, the Interim Association Agreement on Trade and Cooperation sets out the legal basis for relations between the EU and the Palestinian Authority. Ireland strongly supports the deepening of the EU-Palestine bilateral relationship, including in the area of trade. And it is welcome that the first ever meeting of the EU-Palestine high-level political dialogue took place in the margins of the Foreign Affairs Council on 14 April 2025. At this meeting, the European Commission announced a multi-annual comprehensive support programme worth up to €1.6 million to foster Palestinian recovery and resilience, including Pillar to support the private sector in that location. Thank you. Thank you, Minister. Minister, as I said, when that database was updated in 2023, several of the companies with offices in Ireland remain on the UN database following the update. Now, it's widely known that those include Airbnb, Booking.com and TripAdvisor. But the International Court of Justice ruled in July 2024 that Israel's occupation of Palestine territories is unlawful, that Israel should put an end to the occupation, that they should desist from creating new settlements and evacuate those already established. Now, it further concluded that where Palestinians have lost land and property, that Ireland should pay repatriations. What is the government's approach to these companies based in Ireland? That's what the premise of my question is. And, Minister, over the last week, we have seen the shameful act of the piracy against Madeleine Aid Flotilla and the detention of our colleague, Paul Murphy-TD. I'm sure you're aware of the coordinated legal actions which were launched last week in Ireland, Britain and America, targeting the companies I mentioned listing in Israelis' illegal settlements. Minister. Thank you very much, Cahirlic. I'm sure you are aware, Deputy, in the case that you reference with the ICJ, Ireland was one of the countries that intervened in that determination to ensure that the occupied territories was deemed illegal from a point of view of international law. Our Attorney General went out to The Hague to take part in that case. And that is one of a number of actions that Ireland has done to, number one, hold Israel accountable for the actions that are currently happening, but secondly, to support the Palestinian people for the huge genocide that is happening and being placed upon them. And part of that we have seen in supporting UNRWA to the highest level, which is the key mechanism to get aid into the country, and also working to ensure that with the international community, supporting UN resolution after UN resolution, trying to change the dial. And as I was, as European Affairs Minister, at the very outset, Ireland was the very first, along with Spain, to put pressure on the EU to try and turn the dial and move in Article 2 of the Israeli EU Association Agreement to ensure that it is held to account on human rights violations. Thank you, Minister. Deputy? I'm bored with what you're saying, Minister. But last week, a number of organisations, including the Global Legal Action Network, GLAN, as well as the Ireland-Palestinian Alliance, launched a High Court action challenging the refusal of the Gardaí to investigate Airbnb Ireland and its senior executives for alleged activity in Israeli settlements. Minister, surely companies must abide by international law as a prerequisite to operating in this country. So, I suppose what I'm seeking from you is an explanation as to why this has been permitted here. I don't think it's good enough that this behaviour has been tolerated. As in the case of apartheid South Africa back in the 80s, economic sanctions undertaken by international community should be brought to bear on Israel. The Israeli state has flouted international law, and this must be challenged in every single possible way. Back in the 80s, it was the women working in Dunn's who took a stand. Again, the government is way behind the people in this issue. A few weeks ago, you refused to support a Sinn Féin PMB, which would have ended the shameful Irish central bank's facilitation of the sale of Israeli bonds. Thank you. First of all, Deputy, I would say that Ireland has been a lighthouse internationally in supporting the Palestinian people. We have, as I pointed out, intervened in the case to ensure that illegal occupation has been deemed that through a resolution of the court. We intervened in the South Africa case and supported that very firmly, as requested by the Dáil and our own parliamentary party. We have gone forward and supported UNRWA. We are bringing forward the Occupied Territories Bill, which is, again, another significant step in the government's support. And you can see that we have moved the Dáil by, first of all, recognising the state of Palestine. Again, a key ask by the Palestinian Authority. And we have moved forward by pushing the EU member states to essentially hold Israel to account under the Israel Association Agreement with the European Union in terms of trade. So, every single area, Ireland has been at the forefront in supporting the people of Gaza. And we will continue to do that as a government because it's something that is very close to us. We are very much aware. We all... I'm a young father of two young children. And I'm very much aware, acutely aware, of what is happening in Gaza. And we'll do everything, every single day, to help and support so many victims that are suffering the perpetration from Israel. With the agreement of Deputy Law, we're going to be able to do that as a government.