Fine Gael's Brennan Welcomes Key Step Forward as Services Added to Occupied Territories Bill

An official recommendation is being made for services to be included in the Occupied Territories Bill.

The current legislation would only ban the importation of goods from illegal settlements. But, the Oireachtas Foreign Affairs Committee voted unanimously yesterday (Friday) for the ban to extend to services. Fine Gael TD for North-Wexford South-Wicklow, Brian Brennan has been a long-time advocate in trying to advance the Occupied Territories Bill, having visited Cairo in recent weeks. Speaking to South East RadioNews, Deputy Brennan said that he believes that Ireland should lead the way in seeing the bill's progression in the Autumn: "I warmly welcome this bill moving to the next level at the Foreign Affairs Committee yesterday. Ireland has two choices -  simply to sit on its hands and do absolutely nothing, while medics, journalists, mothers, fathers and kids have been killed on a daily basis in Gaza. Or Ireland, in the words of the Ambassador to Ireland from Palestine, can continue to take the lead. I am firmly of the opinion that subject to legal scrutiny, we should progress this bill as early as possible in the autumn."