On behalf of the Civil Engagement Group, CEG, I too send condolences to the family of Enda Bonner and especially our own colleague, Senator Craughwell, and his family. It has been a tough road for him and our thoughts are with him. I also send condolences to Orla Murray on the loss of her brother. The last time I spoke in the Chamber was just before the summer recess to mark the passage of the Government’s version of the Occupied Territories Bill. It was a very significant step after so many years of work by many f…

I move amendment No. 1: . In page 3, between lines 25 and 26, to insert the following: “ “Israeli settlement” means any residential area, outpost, or economic zone established, supported, protected or otherwise administered by Israel, in violation of international law, in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (including East Jerusalem) that was brought under Israeli administration since June 1967;”. There are many issues to be dealt with today, as we all know, including the most substantial one of trade in services, w…

The Minister will know that the big substantial issue I have with this legislation is the decision to exclude services, which has been core to the debate on the occupied territories Bill. I would like to use this opportunity to address it. I will not make a big long statement or speech but there are a few specific points I would like to put on the record of this House to justify these amendments, which seek to reinsert a ban on services into this Bill. Before I start, I welcome the Palestinian ambassador. It has be…

I move amendment No. 3: In page 4, line 14, to delete “may,” and substitute “shall, within 3 months of the commencement of this section, and may thereafter”. As mentioned earlier, this legislation's ban on the import of settlement goods depends on the designation of specific postcodes by the Minister. These postcodes are drawn from two lists managed at EU level and periodically updated by EU authorities. However, the Bill as drafted leaves it entirely up to the Minister's discretion when or if to make these designa…

I move amendment No. 6: In page 5, line 2, to delete “originating” and substitute “produced in whole or in part”. This amendment is designed to ensure that any goods produced in illegal Israeli settlements, even in part, are captured by the ban. We have seen similar language to capture goods wholly or partially obtained or produced in the settlements in the draft legislation from the Dutch and Belgian Governments so we would not be alone in this. It is there in the texts they have published, just as the Irish Gover…

I move amendment No. 7: In page 5, line 2, after “in” to insert “an Isreali settlement in”.

I move amendment No. 11 In page 5, between lines 36 and 37, to insert the following: “Prohibition on the sale or offer for sale in the State of certain services 7. (1) It shall be an offence to sell or offer for sale to a person in the State a service provided, or to be provided, in an Israeli settlement in a postal code to which this Act applies. (2) A person who commits an offence under this section is liable— (a) on summary conviction, to a fine of €5,000 or imprisonment for a term not exceeding 12 months or bot…

I move amendment No. 12: In page 5, between lines 36 and 37, to insert the following: “Prohibition on offer for sale in the State of certain services 7 . (1) It shall be an offence to offer for sale to a person in the State a service provided, or to be provided, in an Israeli settlement in a postal code to which this Act applies. (2) A person who commits an offence under this section is liable— (a) on summary conviction, to a fine of €5,000 or imprisonment for a term not exceeding 12 months or both, (b) on convicti…

I will take a minute, if that is okay. I know everybody is anxious to see the match but I feel it is imperative I thank the people I have been working with for the last eight years who have stood by me. First, I thank my CEG colleagues, Senators Ruane, Higgins and Flynn, but particularly Senator Higgins, who has been an unbelievable support. I also thank some of my colleagues who are here in the Chamber. From Sadaka, I thank Éamonn Meehan and Val Roche who are here, and Marie Crawley who could not be here; from Tró…

The Minister is welcome to the Chamber. To be honest, it is difficult to know where to begin with this speech because colleagues across the House and those who are watching from outside will know how important the occupied territories Bill has been to me over the past eight years and to my really good friend and colleague, Mr. Conor O'Neill, who was one of the original drafters of the Bill, along with Mr. Gerry Liston, the human rights lawyer. It was a privilege to work alongside Mr. O'Neill on this Bill. It has ta…

I want to draw the attention of the House to a significant report that was published earlier. I refer to the final report of the Joint Committee on Drugs Use. This is a landmark piece of work. I acknowledge the outstanding contribution of all the Senators who are on the committee, namely Senators Ruane, Fitzpatrick, Ní Chuilinn, Costello and Nicole Ryan. I also commend Deputy Gannon, the chair, and all the other members of the committee. The briefing earlier this morning was wonderful. I want to say a special word …

Amendment No. 12 is about democratic accountability. What we are asking for is fairly straightforward. We are proposing that any order made under section 9, which relates to calling out the Defence Forces in aid of the civil power, should require a resolution passed by both Houses of the Oireachtas. I do not think the Minister should be able to take a decision of that weight alone. Section 9 deals with the deployment of the Defence Forces domestically, which is not a minor or routine matter. It is an exceptional me…

I move amendment No. 14: In page 16, to delete lines 23 to 26. Amendment No. 14 asks us to delete specific lines from section 12 which deal with bail, and we are concerned that these provisions expand the grounds on which bail can be refused. We do not believe that expansion is justified or that it has received the scrutiny it deserves. We all know bail is not a reward, it is an entitlement rooted in the presumption of innocence. When we expand the grounds on which it can be refused, we are in effect detaining peop…

I will speak to amendment No. 18, which is the amendment I feel most strongly about. We are proposing full and absolute protection for counselling records, in particular in sexual offence cases. It is not partial protection; it is not a high bar. It is an absolute protection with one exception only, namely, where a complainant freely and voluntarily chooses to disclose their own records. That is the clear and simple principle at the heart of the amendment. I will take some time to explain why we believe this matter…

I second the amendment.

I second the amendment.

I second the amendment.

I am proud to put my name to this Bill alongside my colleagues Senators Alice-Mary Higgins, Lynn Ruane and Eileen Flynn. I commend Senator Higgins on the amazing work she has done on it. It is shocking to think that we need legislation such as this or that we have to write into law what should be self-evident, namely, that a machine must never be allowed to decide to take a human life. Yet, here we are. I hope the Government will rise to meet this moment. We are living through a moment in history where the decision…

The Minister of State is very welcome to the House. This is something he is very knowledgeable and passionate about. I welcome the publication of the new planning guidelines. If we are serious about planning reform, we must also be serious about the democratic structures through which planning decisions are made. On that front, the direction of travel gives cause for real concern. I say this not as a critic from the sidelines but as someone who served on the Seanad Public Consultation Committee on the future of loc…

I second the motion. I warmly welcome this Bill and I thank Senator Stephenson and her colleagues for introducing it. I want to start off by asking a simple question. What does it mean to be a neutral country? At a minimum, it means that you do not allow your territory to be used for actions that violate international law. It means that when people are being deported to zones of armed conflict in breach of non- refoulement obligations, they are not refuelled and sent on their way through an Irish airport. That is t…