Independent Republican TD Brian Stanley told Micheál Martin in the Dail to bring forward the Occupied Territories Bill.
The Laois TD wants Ireland ban trade with the areas of Palestine that are occupied illegally by Israel.
Addressing the Taoiseach, Deputy Stanley told him to stop ‘dancing around the issue’.
He said: “There is a clear commitment in the programme for Government regarding the occupied territories Bill. The Bill was published eight years ago.
“The International Court of Justice said the Government had an obligation to ban all trade in goods from occupied territories.
“The Taoiseach admits that it’s in the programme for Government, which I read this morning.
“There are 160 legal settlements in the West Bank, 69 of which came into force since 2022. In recent weeks, the Israeli Government announced 19 new ones.
“Palestinian homes, farms and businesses have been bulldozed and destroyed. Some 700,000 Israelis live on illegal settlements, on stolen Palestinian land.
“Israeli settlers and Israel Defense Forces terrorists have murdered over 700 people in the West Bank in the past two years.
“When will the Government stop dancing around this and bring the occupied territories Bill through the Oireachtas? The relevant Minister, Deputy McEntee, speaking in Egypt, said she is not going to rush into something.
“For God’s sake, we are still waiting for the legislation after eight years. This needs to be prioritised.
“People are being murdered in Palestine by terrorists. We need to help them.”
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