Sinn Féin spokesperson on Foreign Affairs, Matt Carthy TD, has said that Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael have proven time and again that they cannot be trusted to sanction Israel for its repeated gross violations of international law and the ongoing genocide in Gaza.

Teachta Carthy said that the removal of the government blockage of the Occupied Territories Bill at the last minute of the Dáil term will be seen as a cynical ploy; considering Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael are now refusing to take the opportunity to finalise the bill.

Teachta Carthy said:

“Neither Fianna Fáil nor Fine Gael can be trusted to enact the Occupied Territories Bill or take any sanction against Israel for its repeated gross violations of international law and the ongoing genocide in Gaza.

“The Occupied Territories bill was introduced in the Dáil in 2019, it was included in Fianna Fáil’s 2020 general election manifesto.  Yet, throughout this Dáil term Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil have found one excuse after another to refuse to progress the bill.

“At the eleventh hour of this Dáil term they have lifted the ‘money message’.  But, they failed to respond to Sinn Féin’s request that the Dáil be recalled this week and, thus far, they have failed to accept Sinn Féin’s offer to give up our Private Member’s times to progress the Occupied Territories Bill.  

“They are taking the people for fools.

“It is apparent that government removed their blockage at this late stage to remove this as an election issue.

“It is also apparent that the current coalition parties have repeatedly failed to enact any meaningful sanction against Israel either before or after the Genocide in Gaza commenced and they cannot be trusted to do so after the election.

“This Bill can be passed next week if the political will exists.  Sinn Féin have offered the route to do so. If Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael refuse to take that route, then people can be very clear that only a Sinn Féin government will have the backbone to take meaningful action in support of International Law.”