Seanad passes Occupied Territories Bill to ban goods from Israeli settlements

The Irish Settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (Prohibition of Importation of Goods) Bill 2026 has passed its final stages in the 27th Seanad, clearing the way for the legislation to be enacted.

The legislation, formally titled the Israeli Settlements (Prohibition of Importation of Goods) Bill 2026, will prohibit the importation of goods from Israeli settlements in occupied Palestinian territories, including East Jerusalem. Under the legislation, importing these goods will become an offence under section 14 of the Customs Act 2015.

During the debate, the Seanad rejected two opposition amendments that sought to extend the prohibition to include a ban on trade in services, with the votes falling 24 to 13 and 26 to 14. The Government has faced criticism for excluding services from the legislation, with Taoiseach Micheál Martin previously stating that a ban on services is not implementable.

Concerns were raised during the debate by Senator Frances Black regarding the Bill's reliance on an EU-managed postcode system to identify illegal settlements. Senator Black noted that while approximately 90% of the postcodes map directly to illegal Israeli settlements, about 10% do not and may include Palestinian communities, particularly in East Jerusalem. She warned that under a literal reading of the Bill, some Palestinian products originating from these postcodes could technically be prohibited, as the Bill amends the Customs Act 2015 to ban not just importation but also the possession, custody, transport, or sale of banned goods.

The Bill previously passed the Dáil without a vote on 7 July 2026 and is expected to be signed into law by President Catherine Connolly.