Irish Episcopal Conference

Lobbying Organisation Irish Episcopal Conference

Date published 20 May, 2026

Relevant Matter Legislation

Public Policy Area Foreign Affairs

Period 1 Jan. 2026 to 30 Apr. 2026

Specific Details The immediate passage of the Occupied Territories Bill and seeking to have both good AND services included. Urging the Government to expedite the passage of the Occupied Territories Bill through the Oireachtas and to have both goods and services included. This is in response to the illegal occupation by Israel of the West Bank and the ongoing displacement of Palestinian people there.

Intended results To bring about an end to the occupation of the West Bank by illegal Israeli settlers and the displacement of Palestinian people from their own lands.

Name of person primarily responsible for lobbying on this activity Bishop Alan McGuckian SJ, Chair of the Commission for Social Issues & International Affairs and Bishop Paul Dempsey, Chair of Trócaire, the Overseas Development Agency of the Catholic Church in Ireland

Did any Designated Public Official(DPO) or former Designated Public Official(DPO) carry out lobbying activities on your behalf in relation to this return? You must include yourself, and answer Yes, if you are a current DPO or a DPO at any time in the past. (What is a Designated Public Official?) No

Did you manage or direct a grassroots campaign? No

Was this lobbying done on behalf of a client? No

Lobbying activity

The following activities occurred for this specific Subject Matter Area.

Letter (2-5)

Letter to Ms Helen McEntee TD, Minister for Foreign Affairs Two – letter sent and reply received.

Informal communication (1)

While in Israel and Palestine on January 18 2026, as part of an international delegation from Catholic Bishops’ Conference in Europe and North America, Rev Dr Gary Carville, Executive Secretary, Social Issues and International Affairs and Mr Sean Farrell, CEO Trócaire, met with Mr Feilim McLaughlin, the Representative of Ireland to the Palestinian Authority for dinner in East Jerusalem. This engagement was social. The general situation in the Holy Land and the region was discussed informally.

Designated public officials lobbied

The following DPOs were lobbied during this return period on this specific Subject Matter Area. These DPOs were involved in at least one of the Lobbying Activities listed above, but not necessarily all of them. As returns are specific to a Subject Matter Area the above Lobbying Activities may be associated with multiple returns.

Helen McEntee Minister (Department of Foreign Affairs)