Shane Ross: When it comes to Gaza, perhaps our politicians are human after all
Independents Barry Heneghan and Gillian Toole defied the Government in Israeli war bonds vote and showed they are human
Yesterday at 21:30
Opinionated columnists should do regular audits of their prejudices. Last week, I was forced to admit that just because Mary Lou McDonald champions a cause, it is not automatically wrong.
Over the years, the Sinn Féin leader has blazed a trail in support of the people of Palestine, long before it became politically mainstream. Remember, she has endorsed a different, despicably violent movement closer to home, but on Palestine she has been consistent for decades.
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Irish Daily Mirror
3 hours ago
- Irish Daily Mirror
Trinity College Dublin to divest from links with Israeli universities and firms
Trinity College Dublin is to divest from new arrangements with Israeli universities, firms and institutions. The board of the prestigious Dublin university, home to over 20,000 undergraduate and postgraduate students, made the decision to divest from Israeli links on Wednesday. Pro-Palestinian activists have called on other Irish universities to follow suit. Last May, students formed an encampment at Trinity in protest against a €214,285 fine imposed on the students' union after a series of demonstrations about fees and rent, and the university's ties to Israel. Following engagement with the protesters, the college dropped the fine and said it would complete a divestment from Israeli companies that have activities in the Occupied Palestinian Territory and appear on the UN blacklist. The students dismantled the camp after Trinity said it would "endeavour" to divest in other Israeli companies, noting that its supplier list contains just one Israeli company which remained in place until March this year for contractual reasons. On Wednesday, Trinity's board received a report from a taskforce set up last October to examine academic and institutional links, including with Israel. Although the report is to return to the board later this year for its final consideration, based on "the strength of the evidence shared", the board accepted the report's recommendations in relation to links with Israel. This included recommendations that the college enter into no Erasmus, collaborative research or supply agreements with Israeli universities, institutions or firms. The college has two current Erasmus+ exchange agreements, on an inbound basis only since September 2023, with Israeli universities: the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, which ends in July 2025, and Bar Ilan University, which ends in July 2026. The taskforce also found that the college is engaged in a number of EU-funded research consortia which include Israeli partners, and – although none of these were found to be breaching international humanitarian law or human rights – the taskforce said Trinity should not seek to participate in any new institutional research agreements involving Israeli participation. It also said that Trinity should look to "align itself" with like-minded universities and bodies in an effort to influence EU policy concerning Israel's participation in such collaborations. The taskforce noted that Trinity had divested from Israeli companies on the UN blacklist and has no current supply contracts with Israeli companies. But it recommended that the college should fully divest from all companies headquartered in Israel and that it should not enter into any future supply contracts with Israeli firms. The taskforce accepted that the college's existing intellectual property-related contracts are acceptable as they are not collaborative, but said no new commercial relationships with Israeli entities should be set up. Chairwoman of the Irish Palestine Solidarity Campaign (IPSC) Zoe Lawlor said the decision by Trinity was a "landmark step in academic rejection of apartheid Israel's regime". She called on more Irish universities to do the same and paid tribute to students, academics and staff who campaigned for this outcome. "Trinity will now stand on the right side of history, as it did with South African apartheid in the past, but it is nevertheless disappointing that it took so long to get to this position," she said. "We echo the view of TCD Students' Union that it remains disappointing that Trinity has not withdrawn from ongoing projects involving Israeli partners who provide military technology and training that will run until 2029. "Nonetheless, we celebrate each and every step towards de-normalising relations with the genocidal, apartheid state of Israel. We call on the Irish Government and the EU to pay heed to the changing climate, and to act to bring an end to all Irish state complicity with the apartheid regime." The taskforce, chaired by former president of the High Court Mary Irvine, met on 14 occasions and received 77 submissions in total.
The Journal
5 hours ago
- The Journal
Taoiseach says decision on whether to scrap rent caps expected in next week
A DECISION ON whether the Government will scrap or retain Rent Pressure Zones (RPZs) is expected in the next week, Taoiseach Micheál Martin has said. The Taoiseach caused panic earlier this year when he said the Government was considering getting rid of the intervention which limits how much landlords can increase rent for properties in certain areas. The Government has been assessing whether an alternative system, which protects renters but, as the Taoiseach has said, 'also enables people to have a clear, stable environment in which to invest', can be established. It is understood that the new plan will form part of the Government's new housing plan, which is set to be published by July. Senior sources have told The Journal that it is likely that there will be no cliff edge or sudden rent increases for tenants currently in tenancies. However, landlords may be given the right to reset rents between tenancies. RPZs are in parts of the country where rents are highest and rising, and where households have the greatest difficulty finding affordable accommodation. Rents in an RPZ cannot be increased by more than the general rate of inflation or 2% per year, whichever is lower. Advertisement They were first introduced in Dublin and Cork in 2016 for a period of three years, but RPZs have since been expanded across the country. They were to remain in place until 31 December 2024 but last May, the Government agreed to extend them until 31 December 2025 . Replacing the use of RPZs was a recommendation of a landmark report by the Housing Commission last year. This was because it said the available evidence about the effectiveness of RPZ is 'mixed'. The Housing Commission recommended that a system of 'reference rents' be established in its place. The system of 'reference rents' would peg rent increases to a reference rent for local dwellings of similar quality. The Housing Commission said such a reference should be reviewed at regular intervals. 'Rent would not rise more than a certain percentage above this reference rent over a specific period,' noted the Housing Commission. It added that unsubsidised market rental dwellings should solely inform reference rents and that the percentage rent increase allowed should take account of relevant factors such as 'management and maintenance costs, interest rates, household incomes and affordability'. Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone... A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation. Learn More Support The Journal
RTÉ News
5 hours ago
- RTÉ News
Trinity College Dublin cuts ties with Israeli organisations
The governing body of Trinity College Dublin has voted to cease links with Israeli organisations with immediate effect. It means that TCD will not sign up to future exchange or research agreements with Israeli institutions, no longer use Israeli suppliers and divest from Israeli companies. Current research partnerships and contracts will be honoured but not renewed. The move follows recommendations from a taskforce which was established as part of an agreement to end the student Gaza solidarity encampment on the university campus in May 2024. It called for TCD to divest fully from all Israeli companies, no longer use Israeli suppliers and refuse to enter any new education of research collaborations with Israeli organisations. It also recommended that TCD join with other universities to push for an end to EU research collaboration with Israel. The taskforce was made up of 26 members including students, staff unions and senior leadership, and was chaired by former High Court president Mary Irvine. It met 14 times this year. The governing body voted to accept all of the group's recommendations after receiving its report. Academia for Palestine TCD welcomed the "historic decision" and described it "as an important step towards rejecting the normalisation of Israel's decades-long occupation, apartheid, ethnic cleansing and genocide against the people of Palestine". TCD is engaged in a number of EU-funded research consortia which include Israeli partners. The taskforce recommended that the university should not submit for approval or agree to participate in any new institutional research agreements involving Israel. It also called on TCD not to enter into any further mobility agreements with Israeli universities or new commercial relationships with Israeli entities. The university has two Erasmus+ exchange agreements with Israeli universities – one which will end this year, the other next year. Participation in these programmes has been on an inbound basis since September 2023. TCD has no current supply contracts with Israeli companies and will not enter into future supply deals with Israeli firms. The university has also already divested from Israeli companies on the UN blacklist but will fully divest from all companies headquartered in Israel. In a note to staff, Chairperson of the Board Paul Farrell said that "based on the strength of the evidence shared, and in line with the principles and procedures developed by the taskforce, the Board has accepted the recommendations set out in the report regarding institutional links with the State of Israel, Israeli universities and companies headquartered in Israel". These will be enacted for the duration of the ongoing violations of international and humanitarian law" and "will be kept under review by the Board," he said.
