Mairéad Farrell (Galway West, Sinn Fein)
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137. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his views on Ireland’s obligations to comply with international law with regard to the ongoing genocide in Palestine, particularly with regard to the Economic Activity (Occupied Territories) Bill 2018 and the use of Shannon Airport for transporting military aid for Israel; the steps he is taking to meet these obligations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14720/25]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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The situation in Israel and Palestine is a priority for this Government.

The immediate focus of the international community must be on bringing hostilities to an immediate end and for all parties to return to talks aimed at implementing the second phase of the ceasefire and hostage release deal. I condemn the resumption of Israeli airstrikes in Gaza and the new ground offensive, which have brought fresh suffering to the people of Gaza and have breached the ceasefire. A return to hostilities is disastrous for the people of Gaza, and for the hostages and their families. Our focus must also be on the immediate resumption of humanitarian aid into Gaza at scale, and the release of the remaining hostages.

Ireland's response to this dreadful conflict is guided by our longstanding and principled position, notably respect for international law, respect for the equal right to self-determination, peace, security and dignity for Israelis and Palestinians alike, and unwavering support for the two-State solution.

Re-affirming this commitment to international law and the UN Charter, Ireland filed a Declaration of Intervention at the International Court of Justice in South Africa’s case against Israel under the Genocide Convention on 6 January. Ireland also filed a Declaration of Intervention in The Gambia’s case against Myanmar on 20 December 2024. Ireland has also both bilaterally and at multilateral level, repeatedly called on Israel to comply with international law, stressing the universal applicability of international law, including international humanitarian law.

In light of the July 2024 Advisory Opinion of the International Court of Justice and the subsequent advice of the Attorney General, the Government decided to review the Occupied Territories Bill. The Government’s analysis was that substantive amendments would be required to most, if not all, of the Bill’s provisions in order to bring it in line with the Constitution and to try to reduce the risk of EU infringement procedures. The Programme for Government sets out a commitment to progress legislation prohibiting goods from the occupied Palestinian territory. In parallel, Ireland continues to press for action at the EU level in light of the ICJ Advisory Opinion.

It is expressly prohibited for civil aircraft to carry munitions of war in Irish sovereign territory, without being granted an exemption to do so by the Minister for Transport. The system of exemptions is operated under the Air Navigation (Carriage of Munitions of War, Weapons and Dangerous Goods) Orders 1973 and 1989, by the Department of Transport. In 2023, 2024, and to date in 2025, no applications have been received or exemptions granted for the carriage of munitions of war on civil aircraft to a point in Israel.

Since October 2023, diplomatic clearance has been granted on a small number of occasions for US military aircraft to land in Shannon for the specific purpose of transporting senior officials travelling from the United States to the Middle East. Diplomatic clearance is subject to strict conditions, including that the aircraft is unarmed; that it carries no arms, ammunition or explosives; that it does not engage in intelligence gathering; and that the flight in question does not form part of a military exercise or operation.