Simon Coveney, the foreign affairs minister, has said his opposition to the Occupied Territories Bill is not political but based on clear advice from the former attorney-general.
The bill, which would ban imports from illegal Israeli settlements in Palestinian territories, has been opposed by Mr Coveney and Fine Gael on the grounds that it would breach EU law.
It was a sticking point in coalition talks and was removed from the programme for government at the behest of Fine Gael.
Mr Coveney stressed yesterday that his opposition to the bill was informed by legal advice.
“I don’t know many times I have to say it but people don’t want to seem to hear it,” he told the Dáil. “The reason why I have opposed, as