Tánaiste to attend meeting of EU foreign ministers to discuss Israel-Iran conflict
TÁNAISTE SIMON HARRIS is to attend a meeting of EU foreign ministers today to discuss the conflict between Israel and Iran and EU efforts 'to de-escalate the situation'.
Harris will attend the conference by video link today.
Iran and Israel have been arch-foes for decades, but are now actively attacking each other after Israel launched attacks on Iran on Friday.
According to figures released by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office yesterday, a total of 24 people have been killed in Israel since the first Iranian shots fired in response to the Israeli strikes on Friday.
Iran's health ministry reported at least 224 people killed and more than 1,200 wounded in Israeli attacks since Friday.
Yesterday,
several Irish MEPs slammed European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen
for publicly supporting Israel and placing blame on Iran in the escalating Middle East conflict, accusing her of acting without the consensus or mandate of EU member states.
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In a statement on Sunday evening, following a call with Netanyahu, von der Leyen claimed that Iran 'is the main source of regional instability' in the Middle East and implied that the nation was at fault for the ongoing conflict with Israel.
In the statement following her call with Netanyahu, von der Leyen pointed to the UN nuclear watchdog's finding earlier in the week that Iran was not in compliance with its obligations.
'In this context, I underlined that Israel has the right to defend itself,' she said.
'Europe has always been clear: Iran can never acquire a nuclear weapon. There is an urgent need for a negotiated solution,' she said.
Speaking ahead of today's meeting, Harris said that he is 'deeply concerned' by the 'escalation' in both countries' strikes on each other. He issued a call for restraint by all involved.
'I look forward to discussing with my colleagues how the EU can support international efforts to bring about urgent de-escalation, to allow space for dialogue and diplomacy. A lasting solution to the Iranian nuclear issue can best be ensured through a negotiated solution.'
Harris added that Irish embassies in Tehran and Tel Aviv remain in 'close contact' with Irish citizens on the ground.
'Any Irish citizens in the region are advised to remain in close contact with their nearest Embassy, to be vigilant, and to follow the advice of local authorities, including any orders to shelter in place. We continue to advise against all travel to Iran and Israel for Irish citizens.'
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Irish Independent
27 minutes ago
- Irish Independent
‘Match your words with actions' – Paul Murphy urges Simon Harris to do more for Palestinians after being detained in Egypt
On arrival in Dublin Airport with a group of around ten others, he called on the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs to match his words of criticism of Israel with actions. Last week, Mr Murphy and members of an activist group had their passports taken and were held after attempting to walk to Rafah as part of a protest march highlighting the blockage of aid into Gaza. He was then detained for a second time in Cairo on Monday when he went to a police station to retrieve his mobile phone, which was being held by authorities. 'The main thing I'm asking Simon Harris to do, and we're asking Simon Harris to do, is not to do more for us - it's to match his strong words of criticism of Israel with actions,' he said. "To fully implement the Occupied Territories Bill, to stop the overflights of weapons going through our airspace, and to stop our Central Bank authorising the sale of Israeli bonds in the European Union,' he said. Surrounded by group members with Irish and Palestinian flags, Deputy Murphy said they had 'tremendous support from the Egyptian people'. 'It's clear that the Egyptian people are very, very supportive of Palestine. Obviously, we're disappointed with the stance that the Egyptian State took,' he said. "I'm fine. All the Irish people are fine. There are still some non-Irish people who are detained out there, so we're hopeful that they're released as soon as possible and we have to be kind of mindful of the fact that they're potentially still in detention and there's other Irish people who want to come home, in terms of the comments we make about Egypt.' Reacting to criticism from Independent Ireland party leader TD Michael Collins, who branded his trip to Egypt a 'march for publicity', Deputy Murphy people can make their own judgements. 'First of all, this is not my stunt at all. This is 4,000 people that were participating. I was actually a late participant in joining it. This is probably the biggest global coordinated march for Palestine that we have seen. And even though we didn't reach Rafah, we think we did succeed in highlighting what's happening,' he explained. 'Just yesterday 38 people were killed while queuing for aid, and this has become a pattern now, over 300 people in the last three weeks. 'I left on Thursday. I was in the Dáil on Thursday morning. I'm back today, back for the Dáil, today. I think most people in this country want politicians to do everything they can to stop this genocide. This is a contribution that I felt that I could make in supporting this people-powered movement that we have.' Deputy Murphy said the next focus now is on a meeting in Brussels next week. "We definitely recognise that this phase of the global March to Gaza is finished. We accept that we will not be reaching Rafah, and those who remain there will not be reaching Rafah. 'There's a meeting in Brussels next week when Foreign Affairs Ministers are meeting with the Israeli Minister for Foreign Affairs. We think that's horrendous in the context of the genocide that's been going on for 20 months. 'I think it's horrendous that Ursula von der Leyen is still talking about Israel's right to defend itself and blaming others for instability in the Middle East, considering Israel's ongoing genocide and then starting a war effectively with Iran. So that's our next focal point." Meanwhile, Mr Collins questioned what was the objective of the trip and said he would have advised Mr Murphy against travelling if he was a member of Independent Ireland. Mr Collins said it is 'Dáil time' and TDs are supposed to be working. He also questioned why Mr Murphy put himself in danger. 'As party leader, if one of my TDs came to me and said they wanted to go travelling. First of all, I'd say, it's Dáil time and it's work time, you're supposed to tend to your duties,' said Mr Collins at Leinster House. 'If it's a holiday during August or something, that's their own business. But certainly, why put yourself in danger? Why put other people in danger, because you are in a position of responsibility and you have to advise people of the dangers you're putting people in. I felt there was a danger and there was a danger for others. 'I think it was more done on the basis of publicity than maybe delivery. And delivery is for the people that is inside here, where democracy is held, where people are held to order, where we can speak our minds and he's well able to speak his mind [in the Dáil]. "It's his decision but it's a decision I'd question myself if it was within my party.' Cork TD Richard O'Donoghue said he hopes Mr Murphy is well and safe. 'You can protest, you can do all the same things of what he wanted to achieve, here. But to go over there and to put your life and other lives at risk, says to me you didn't think about the people you were leaving here behind you,' said Mr O'Donoghue. Meanwhile, Labour TD Duncan Smith said he would not criticise anybody who is trying to highlight the genocide in Gaza. 'I'm not going to be criticising any politician or citizen of this country or others who are doing what they believe they can to highlight what's going on in Gaza.' Mr Murphy has confirmed no Irish citizens are now under detention in Egypt. 'No other Irish citizens are still detained, thankfully. Again, there are many Irish citizens who are not leaving today, will still be there for a period of time and I'm kind of conscious about their safety and not putting them in in any jeopardy,' Mr Murphy told RTÉ's Morning Ireland. Mr Murphy said his second detention was a 'slow bureaucratic process' and things were taking a long time to resolve. 'But then, I asked to leave and was told that I couldn't leave and the whole time they had my passport. It became clear that I was being detained, as unfortunately hundreds of others have been detained in Egypt, many people deported.' He said his experience in Egypt 'pales into insignificance compared to what's happening in Gaza'. 'Just yesterday, 38 Palestinians were killed while queuing for aid. There's now over 300 Palestinians have been killed in those circumstances in the last three weeks,' he said. 'And the purpose of our global march to Gaza, which involved over 4,000 people coming here to Egypt from over 60 countries, was really to highlight the forced starvation that is happening and to call for a lifting of the blockade and allowing aid to flow.' Mr Murphy said he was held for around nine hours when he was detained for a second time and due to the slow nature of the process, it was unclear at first whether he was detained or not. It then became clear to him that he had been detained again because when he asked to leave the police station, he was told he was not allowed to. 'From our perspective, I mean we came here, the 4,000 people to try to march to Rafah in order to highlight what is happening in Gaza. 'Obviously, we're disappointed that we didn't get to Rafah, but we have had probably the largest international people-powered coalition for Palestine in a very, very long time. 'I think we did raise awareness about what is happening. And so, in the context of the severe Egyptian repression that is taking place, I'm conscious that look, there's still people in detention. There's still many, many people who won't be flying home.' While there will not be another attempt to enter Rafah, Mr Murphy said activists will now turn their attention to events like a planned meeting between European foreign ministers and the Israeli foreign minister Gideon Sa'ar in Brussels next week. 'For us, the main pressure we need to have is on Israel, to stop what it's doing in Gaza and on our own Government to stop their complicity. 'Obviously, many western governments and many of the people over there are coming from countries where the governments are actively arming and funding Israel.'
Irish Independent
31 minutes ago
- Irish Independent
Cabinet gives NDRC one-year reprieve
In 2024, the Department of Communications had decided to stop giving the programme an annual grant of €3.5m when the current contract ends in November, which was likely to lead to its closure. The decision was widely criticised, with 200 entrepreneurs writing an open letter to the Government calling for it to be reversed. Set up in 2006 as a collaboration between the State and the private sector, the NDRC has been run for the last five years by Dogpatch Labs and four regional partners. Today the Minister for Enterprise, Peter Burke, and the Minister for Communications, Patrick O'Donovan, announced that the Government had approved an extension of the NDRC with the current service provider, Dogpatch Labs, and that it will continue to give supports to early-stage digital enterprises until the end of 2026. Enterprise Ireland is planning to support 1,000 new start-ups by 2029, the Government announcement said, and will launch a successor National Accelerator Platform in 2026. This platform is in an advanced stage of development, and 'will reflect the new and evolving needs of founders, enhance sectoral diversification and international connectivity'. Mr O'Donovan said that NDRC had been a high-performing support for digital start-ups, providing mentoring, training and investments, and helping with the creation of high-value jobs. The Enterprise Minister, Mr Burke, added that the decision would ensure continuity of service, and provide a stable foundation for the long-terms successor being developed by Enterprise Ireland. 'We must continue to back the global ambition of Irish-founded innovation-led start-ups, particularly in a challenging global economic climate,' he said. 'To do so, my Department through Enterprise Ireland will develop a system-wide approach that accelerates start-up growth, internationalisation, and scaling.' The decision is intended to provide certainty to firms that have been helped by the NDRC, and to ensure there is no interruption in State support for the digital sector. An independent review of the NDRC, submitted to the Department of Communications in June 2024 but only published in December, was overwhelmingly positive about its operation. The Department had commissioned Indecon to examine whether Dogpatch's contract should be extended for another two years. The consultants concluded that Dogpatch Labs should get a two-year extension, as the evidence pointed to 'substantive achievement of the NDRC's strategic objectives' between late 2020 and the end of 2022. 'The analysis also found satisfactory outputs and outcomes, as well as improvements compared to the previous operator,' said the Indecon report, which was received last June but only posted on almost six months later.
The Journal
34 minutes ago
- The Journal
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