7. Deputy Tom Brabazon asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade whether her Department has examined the possibility of introducing, at national or EU level, targeted sanctions against individuals, settler organisations, businesses or financial networks that profit from, enable, or facilitate illegal Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territory; whether she is aware of the recent decision by the United Kingdom, together with international partners, to impose sanctions on entities and individuals linked to settler violence in the occupied West Bank; whether Ireland is considering similar or complementary measures; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46128/26]

8. Deputy Tom Brabazon asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade whether she has engaged with the European Union and EU Member States on the adoption of further EU measures in response to illegal Israeli settlements and violent settler activity in the occupied Palestinian territory, including targeted sanctions, asset freezes, restrictions on financial networks, trade measures relating to settlements and companies operating in or profiting from them, and accountability measures for persons responsible for organising, enabling, inciting or facilitating serious violations of international law; whether Ireland will advocate for such measures at EU level; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46129/26]

I propose to take Questions Nos. 7 and 8 together.

The Government supports targeted sanctions against individuals and entities in response to egregious Israeli breaches of human rights and democratic principles, and has consistently called for appropriate action at EU level.

Ireland implements EU and UN sanctions. Ireland does not have a domestic sanctions framework. EU sanctions are designed to align with international law by operating within the legal frameworks of the UN Charter and the EU's Common Foreign and Security Policy. EU sanctions are always targeted.

There are almost fifty EU sanctions regimes and they are all designed with reference to the particular context or issue at hand. The application of sanctions by all EU Member States increases their reach and impact. This is why it remains the Government’s preference that collective action would be taken at EU level.

Ireland welcomed political agreement at the May Foreign Affairs Council on sanctions against three violent Israeli settlers and four entities, as well as leading Hamas figures, under the EU Global Human Rights Sanctions Regime. The measures were formally adopted on 28 May.

Those listed in the most recent EU package of sanctions include extremist Israeli settlers and organisations which support them, and are responsible for serious and systematic human rights abuses against Palestinians in the West Bank.

Ireland has consistently supported consideration of additional sanctions, including proposals brought forward by the Commission President in September 2025 concerning extremist Israeli ministers, and believes that further measures are required.

I am aware of a number of EU countries including France, Poland, the Netherlands and others have introduced entry bans on Ministers Ben Gvir and Smotrich and there is an EU proposal to do the same. The UK, Canada, Australia and others took this step last year.

In line with the Taoiseach’s statement during UNGA High Level Week in 2025 that Ireland will act to prevent those members of the Government of Israel who have been instrumental in fomenting the unfolding disaster in Gaza from entering the country, the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration has instructed immigration officers to refuse entry to Itamar Ben-Gvir, Minister for National Security of Israel, and Bezalel Smotrich, Minister of Finance of Israel, should they seek to enter.

Ireland is supportive of an EU-wide prohibition on trade with Israeli settlements. At both the May FAC and the May FAC Trade, I requested that the European Commission bring forward proposals for a prohibition on EU trade with settlements, on the basis of the EU's Common Commercial Policy. I also reiterated Ireland’s longstanding position that the EU-Israel Association Agreement should be suspended, or at a minimum that the trade elements should be suspended. A number of other Member States supported Ireland’s call for stronger collective EU action and agreed that targeted sanctions alone cannot substitute for meaningful measures relating to trade with illegal settlements.

The Taoiseach wrote to European Council President Costa on 20 May, reiterating Ireland’s position on EU trade with Israel and requesting an urgent discussion of these issues among EU leaders at the next meeting of the European Council on 18-19 June.

On 26 May, the Government approved the text of the Israeli Settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (Prohibition of Importation of Goods). The Bill fulfils the commitment set out in the Programme for Government to progress legislation to prohibit the import of goods from Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territory. In parallel, I will continue to push for and EU wide ban in trade with settlements, as this will have greater impact.