Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire
Question:123. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade for an update on the progress of the Control of Economic Activity (Occupied Territories) Bill 2018. [15541/25]
Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions
Foreign Conflicts
As these are questions for the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Deputy Simon Harris, it is an appropriate time to extend our sympathies and our solidarity to the people of Myanmar and Thailand in the context of what they are currently experiencing. It is a real catastrophe and there is huge human suffering.
The question I bring to the Minister is the same question I brought to him six weeks ago during our previous session, and it relates to the occupied territories Bill. In the interim, unfortunately, the ceasefire that held at that stage is no longer. Hundreds of people, if not more, have died. It is important that Ireland takes a strong stand on that.
I thank Deputy Ó Laoghaire and I join him in extending the sympathies of everyone in this House and everyone in this country to the people of Myanmar and Thailand after the horrific earthquake and the devastation it has caused. My Department has moved swiftly on behalf of the Irish people to provide €6 million in emergency assistance as part of the international effort. Of course this country stands ready to do more and do all we can to help. I join the Deputy in that.
I thank the Deputy for the question. At the outset, I want to underline that I am extremely concerned by the extraordinarily negative trajectory - in fact, that phrase does not even capture it - of the situation on the ground in Israel and Palestine. I fully endorse the very clear message conveyed by the EU High Representative Kaja Kallas and the Arab-Islamic Ministerial Committee following their meeting in Cairo on 23 March. They condemned the resumption of conflict and violence and the bombardment and the targeting of civilians and civilian infrastructure. They called for a return to the full implementation of the ceasefire, the hostage release agreement leading to the release of all hostages, a permanent end to hostilities, and a full withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza. There was also categorical rejection of any displacement or expulsion of the Palestinian people out of their territory, both Gaza and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem.
My focus and that of the Government is on supporting international efforts to bring about the immediate cessation of hostilities, a return to the ceasefire, the full implementation of the hostage release agreement, including the release of hostages, and the resumption of humanitarian access at scale, which is so badly needed. I also want to get to a point where we can work with Arab nations on the Arab plan for the future of Gaza.
I assure the Deputy that the programme for Government sets out a commitment to progress legislation on the occupied Palestinian territories following the July 2024 International Court of Justice advisory opinion. That remains the commitment. I am meeting the sponsor of the current occupied territories Bill next Tuesday - this day week - and I look forward to exchanging thoughts and insights with Senator Black on that occasion.
It is vitally important the international community uses every lever possible to put pressure on for the resumption of the ceasefire, to stop the hostilities, and for the release of the hostages.
I suppose we are back to this issue time and again. Unfortunately, we are back to dealing with the consequences of the Israeli Government feeling as if it can act with impunity. That is why the occupied territories Bill matters. It is about ensuring international law applies. Too often the Israeli Government is flouting international law very significantly, obviously in Gaza and the West Bank currently. Time and again the position of the Government seems to have been that these are issues of technical difficulties and so on. That seems to have ultimately disappeared. It now seems the Government has changed its position in terms of substance and no longer believes it is necessary to ban services. Whatever of that, and we can discuss this more, commitments were given - or so it was reported - to groups in the United States that this Bill has been shelved . What is the timescale for the progress of the Government Bill? The Bill that is already on the Order Paper should be proceeded with. What is the timescale we have?
I thank Deputy Ó Laoghaire. I assure him there is no change in the Government’s position on engaging with the US or anywhere else. I have spoken to the Taoiseach about the conversations and understand that he reiterated the programme for Government commitment to introducing legislation in this area. I agree with the Deputy that international law does matter and that is why Ireland has joined the ICJ case and is standing very resolutely behind international law. It is also why Ireland did a lot of work with European nations on agreeing the joint position paper. It was agreed unanimously by all 27 EU member states. I refer to the EU’s position on Israel and the Middle East. A lot of work went into it.
The Deputy asked a very fair question on the timeline for introducing legislation. I want to have a meeting with Senator Black next week. I commit to coming back to the Deputy after that meeting on the next steps. I do believe a Government Bill will be necessary. That is my truthful position on this. I have been clear in that regard. I would like to get the committee up and running and get the heads of a Bill to it as quickly as possible. However, I will revert to the Deputy.
I appreciate that. If it were as simple as whether it is a Government or Opposition Bill, this might be a less contentious debate, but the reality is that there is a difference in substance, one that has never really been justified. I do not know whether the Tánaiste wants to take the opportunity to justify the distinction between goods and services at this juncture.
I invite the Tánaiste to remark on the scenes outside the Dáil yesterday involving Mothers Against Genocide and particularly on what is reported to have occurred afterwards, namely, strip-searching and, in one instance, cavity-searching. I am aware that a complaint has gone to the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission, GSOC. It is very worrying and I invite the Tánaiste’s comments on it because it is something we do not want to see.
I thank the Deputy.
I have ten seconds left.
I have allowed latitude.
How does the Tánaiste justify the difference in substance between goods and services, because it has no basis in the ICJ judgment?
As the Deputy suggested, I am happy to tease through and debate those issues when we publish and introduce legislation. I do want to engage with Senator Black. I have been in contact with her directly in recent days and look forward to meeting her on the issue next Tuesday. Of course, I would much rather be in a position in which we could in this House say the ceasefire is holding, the hostages have been released, the humanitarian aid is flowing and we have an Arab plan. Six weeks ago, it was beginning to look like we were moving in that direction, but things have moved in a very bad direction since then, to put it mildly.
On protests, I do not want to say anything that cuts across what are likely to be ongoing investigations by, I presume, GSOC and others. Protest has a very important role to play in any democracy. This is a proud, enduring democracy and people feel extraordinarily strongly and passionate about what they see in regard to Gaza and children. The Garda has a job to do, so I need to allow GSOC to examine the matter. People obviously have a right to protest.
Trade Relations
Duncan Smith
Question:124. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade to outline all engagements he has had with the Trump Administration in regard to its announcement of pharmaceutical tariffs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15825/25]
On the eve of what we are expecting tomorrow, I would like an update on our engagement with the US Administration on the proposed tariffs that are coming into play tomorrow.
I thank Deputy Smith and his party for the constructive suggestion on engagement across parties in this House. Let me assure him at the outset regarding what is likely to be a very turbulent time. While there is no doubt that there will be moments of agreement, disagreement, suggestions and whatever else, we should continue to have a good flow of information across the Oireachtas. I certainly commit, on behalf of my Department and the Government, to doing just that.
We all regret in this House the US decision last month to impose tariffs on steel and aluminium. More concerning, however, is the almost guaranteed prospect of a much broader series of actions by the United States and Trump Administration tomorrow. Of course, I am aware of suggestions by the US President of potential tariffs on pharmaceutical products. Ireland exports a large volume of medical and pharmaceutical products to the United States. However, we do so as part of highly integrated global supply chains. Inputs produced in Ireland are integral to the supply chains of American manufacturers.
This is being lost. The simplification involved in saying one would like US companies in Ireland to be in the US misses the point that so much of what is produced by US companies here is exported to the EU market and, therefore, the companies need an EU base. So much of what is produced here goes back to the US, including to US factories, where jobs are created and further tax is paid. We are working extremely hard to ensure Ireland does not find itself isolated on this issue, that it works at European level and that it makes the point that many countries in Europe have a significant pharmaceutical industry, as is now clear in the EU. I was talking to my Danish and Italian counterparts and will be talking to my Swedish counterpart tomorrow. I have also been speaking to my Dutch counterpart. Many countries in the EU have an interest in pharma. I have also been keeping in very regular contact with the European Commissioner for Trade and Economic Security, Maroš Šefčovič. I was in touch with him as recently as tonight. I also had a conversation with the US Secretary of Commerce, Howard Lutnick, last week and hope to meet him in person in the time ahead.
The complexity of global supply chains is not lost on this side of the Atlantic Ocean. I am sure it is not lost on the other side either, even though the policies that the US Administration intends to introduce will be blunt and damaging. Approximately 77,500 people are directly employed in the pharmaceutical and medical devices industry in this country, although it is not going to be the only industry impacted if the tariffs go ahead. We have a concern about our drinks industry as well as many others.
Key to the so-called Liberation Day, another grotesquely titled set piece in what is only a ten-week-old Trump Presidency, is that it has the capacity to do great damage to our economy. Between 50,000 and 80,000 jobs could be at risk, through either not being created or not being kept. These figures are from the Minister for Finance. While trade is an EU competency, is there anything distinctly Irish that we can do or are doing to help mitigate the effect of the tariffs?
The most important thing we can all do in Ireland and the EU, and indeed around the world, is to stay calm and measured. Often after a headline announcement by the US Administration, you have to work through the detail. Given that the misinformation has started, we need to make the point very clearly that Europe does not want tariffs but talks. We want representatives of the European Union and the United States to sit down around a table and find a way that is good for the EU, including Ireland, and the US. That is ultimately where this is going to have to get to because the trading relationship is worth about €1.6 trillion per year. No matter who the President of the United States is or who is in government in any European country, this relationship matters to citizens on both sides of the Atlantic.
Second, at domestic level we are bringing together industry and Government agencies and Departments. I will chair the Government trade forum, which includes industry, on Friday.
Third, the Deputy is so right in suggesting that while EU trade is an EU competency, we are in the EU and around the table. What we all need to do is engage, engage, engage. I will be attending a meeting of EU trade ministers on Monday in Luxembourg, where we will have an opportunity to consider this further.
In fairness to the Tánaiste, I recognise his productivity in engaging on Irish exports to the US economy and on putting such an effort into the St. Patrick’s Day visits over the course of a week in the US. Across all levels, from local government right up, this has been very important.
There is no appetite for hysteria here regarding what is going to happen tomorrow. No one wants that. However, we will need to be very reactive to it. I am aware that the Tánaiste is to have meetings on Friday. Does he have anything planned for next week from a parliamentary point of view or in terms of further briefings and debates we can have here, because 77,500 people are directly employed in the pharmaceutical industry? Many of us have friends and family in the industry. The companies are big employers in our communities and there is great concern. They will want to see leadership from the Minister and the rest of the Government in response to whatever happens on the White House lawn tomorrow at 4 p.m.
Those are very fair questions. Obviously, we will hear the announcement tomorrow. We will all have to assess it and respond in a calm and measured way. I will be continuing calls with EU counterparts tomorrow. I have spoken to my counterparts in Finland, Denmark, Germany, Italy, Slovakia and Croatia in very recent days, including today, and I will have a call with the EU trade Commissioner. I will speak to my Swedish counterpart tomorrow. There is a big pharma presence in Sweden. We will address the Seanad on Thursday morning, where there will be statements specifically on trade. I will chair the trade forum in Government Buildings on Friday, and on Monday I will head to Luxembourg to the trade Ministers meeting, at which we will have a chance to assess, as the EU 27, the EU response.
I am very happy to arrange a further briefing. I will come back to the Deputy on the timing. I believe there will be a series of ongoing briefings for Opposition leaders and spokespeople. Let us allow the announcement tomorrow and make sure the briefings happen later this week or very early next week.
Ukraine War
Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire
Question:125. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade for an update on his Department’s recent engagements with the Government of Ukraine in respect of the ongoing conflict and efforts made to reach a ceasefire. [15542/25]
Since we last had questions here, we had the third anniversary of the vicious war of aggression by Russia, under Vladimir Putin, against Ukraine. It represents the largest land conflict and greatest displacement of people in Europe for nearly 80 years. Progress towards a ceasefire has been extremely slow.
While any progress is obviously welcome, it is extremely slow and seems to be consistently undermined by one of the parties and so I invite the Tánaiste to make a statement on that matter.
I thank Deputy Ó Laoghaire and he is entirely right. Calls for a ceasefire are being undermined by one party and that party is the aggressor. It is Putin and Russia. There are two presidents involved in this; President Zelenskyy has said he will accept without precondition a 30-day ceasefire to try to get into a process to bring about a lasting and enduring just peace. As recently as today, Putin continues to bomb civilian infrastructure, energy grids and ports. He continues to say this does not work for us and we need clarity.
There is a lot of talk about peace. On all sides of this House, we all want peace. Nobody wants peace more than the people of Ukraine and the Government of Ukraine. We are not seeing much by way of intent around peace from Putin yet. Obviously, the Taoiseach and I, as well as other members of the Government, regularly engage on the issue of Ukraine with European leaders at the European Council and the Foreign Affairs Council, together with whom we remain committed to working with Ukraine to achieve that comprehensive, just and lasting peace.
I attended the Munich Security Conference recently, where we discussed global responses to major foreign and security policy issues. I met the Ukrainian foreign minister and that foreign minister also regularly joins the monthly meeting of the Foreign Affairs Council by video conference to update us on the situation. I also had engagement on the issue of Ukraine at the G20 meeting in Johannesburg. On 27 February, the Taoiseach met President Zelenskyy during his stopover in Shannon Airport and further met him, alongside fellow EU leaders, at the European Councils on 6 and 20 March. The Taoiseach was also in Paris for the leaders' meeting on security and defence on 27 March, which President Zelenskyy was at. On 24 February, a resolution on an early and just peace, tabled by Ukraine and co-sponsored by Ireland, was adopted at the UN General Assembly and the Minister for Justice, Deputy O'Callaghan, addressed the assembly calling for a peace that respects the UN Charter and he spoke to the deputy foreign minister of Ukraine to convey Ireland's support.
I remain deeply concerned about the situation on the ground in Ukraine, where we see that Russia is demonstrating a clear desire to continue escalation while pretending to be interested in peace.
It certainly appears as though Vladimir Putin is using the cover of whatever desire exists internationally and which has been spoken about at length by the US President on peace, to buy time. Even the commitments that have supposedly been agreed have been undermined by attacks on energy infrastructure and civilian infrastructure of the kind that was meant to be prevented. It is not difficult to be somewhat cynical about the attitude towards peace of Vladimir Putin.
At this point, various parties, including the United States, may be inclined to give a certain amount of latitude but there may come a time when the issue of sanctions and further sanctions on Russia needs to be considered. Has there been discussion on further sanctions at a European level? Can the Tánaiste outline what sanctions are being considered and make a statement on that matter?
I thank Deputy Ó Laoghaire and we need to keep the sanctions regime under review. We remain fully committed in Europe and in Ireland to keeping in place the sanctions that are already in place. We have had an unprecedented number of rounds of sanctions and Ireland wants to continue to work with European counterparts to make sure any loopholes or agility that exists in respect of those sanctions are closed. We remain open and willing to constructively engage on any further sanctions, should they be required.
To be blunt, the US proposals for a temporary ceasefire are welcome. Anything that brings about a cessation of violence, stops the killing and gets people around the table to talk about peace is a good thing. I share the Deputy's view that so far, we have seen little in terms of intent from Putin in that regard while Ukraine is engaging positively and constructively, despite the ongoing military assault on towns, cities, ports and critical energy infrastructure. I know we share this view but the other point is how peace is made and what peace looks like also matters, should we get to that point of substantive talks.
I do not really have any further questions but I take the opportunity again to reject the statements that have been made by President Trump about President Zelenskyy. He is no dictator by any manner of means. The authoritarian here is Vladimir Putin and it is important to recognise the clear fact that the Ukrainians are serious about peace but it has to be on the basis of a just and sustainable peace and it needs to ensure Ukraine itself is at the table and indeed, partners in Europe. I have no further questions but I put that in the Official Report.
In this moment of agreement, let me add two things. Membership of the European Union for Ukraine is a positive, constructive role Ireland can play. We are a supporter of Ukraine's journey to EU membership and we need to continue to be because that, in and of itself, is a security guarantee to ensure Ukraine can have a future within the European Union. Second, peace and solidarity costs money and that is why we in Ireland are also committing to providing €100 million for practical, non-lethal military assistance to Ukraine. I brought proposals to Cabinet in relation to that recently.
It is more important than ever now that we help the people of Ukraine. I was in Kyiv with President Zelenskyy not that long ago. He is absolutely committed to peace and the devastation and destruction caused to his country by this brutal, illegal aggression from Russia needs to be condemned by all.