The decision of the Government to proceed with the Occupied Territories Bill but not to include services under its remit will please nobody.

Those who want strong and immediate action against Israel think it’s too milk-and-watery; those who fret about the economic consequences of stepping out of the pack to attack Israel will think it’s reckless.

If the Government was seeking to find a middle ground, I am afraid it is narrow to non-existent on this question.

The Bill will not remotely satisfy those who want tougher sanctions, while those who are concerned about the consequences will be further alarmed. If the former are more numerous, the latter includes many in the senior ranks of government, officialdom, semi-states and business.

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As if to illustrate the point of it pleasing nobody, there were fierce exchanges on the subject in the Dáil on Tuesday after the Cabinet approved the Bill. Opposition leaders savaged the Taoiseach for the limited nature of the legislation while he pleaded that he had to take account of the possible threats to the Irish economy.

Do you want to tell Intel that it can’t trade with its sister company in Israel, he asked Richard Boyd........

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