Committee votes against including services in Occupied Territories Bill

The Oireachtas Foreign Affairs Committee has voted against incorporating a ban on trade in services and the advertisement of services into the Occupied Territories Bill. This decision means the bill, which targets Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territory, will now focus solely on prohibiting trade in goods from these areas.

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not annoying the Americans

The bill's limitation has drawn cross-party criticism, with some labeling it as "gutted." Independent Senator Frances Black, a proponent of including services, presented a petition with 20,000 signatures at Leinster House, advocating for the amendment. Despite some Coalition TDs expressing dissatisfaction with the current proposal, an amendment by Sinn Féin's Donnchadh Ó'Laoghaire to include a ban on services trade was defeated by a six-to-four vote, with TDs from Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael voting against it. A similar amendment for advertising services also failed by the same margin.

Concerns were raised that limiting the bill to goods was a measure to avoid "annoying the Americans." People Before Profit TD Paul Murphy argued that a cost-benefit analysis should consider the situation in Gaza, questioning the government's logic for banning goods but not services. Social Democrats TD Sinead Gibney and Labour Party TD Duncan Smith sought explanations regarding the potential impact on jobs and trade if services were included, noting that previous examinations had not presented compelling arguments.

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what exactly is the awful impact?

Minister Helen McEntee outlined the government's strategy, which involves pursuing national legislation for goods while simultaneously advocating for the inclusion of services at the European Union level. She noted that at least 17 member states now support the commission bringing forward proposals that encompass both goods and services. McEntee emphasized the need to consider potential risks to the Irish economy and jobs when implementing national legislation.

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includes services and includes goods