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RTÉ News
21-05-2025
- Politics
- RTÉ News
Situation in Gaza 'appalling and barbaric'
Taoiseach Micheál Martin has described the situation in Gaza as "absolutely appalling and barbaric". Speaking in the Dáil, he said there is absolutely no justification for what is occurring in Gaza, adding that Israel's persecution of the war is causing "immense death, destruction and suffering to an entire population". Mr Martin said he believes the EU-Israeli trade agreement should be suspended pending review. Yesterday, the EU agreed to review its cooperation deal with Israel, after a clear majority of member states supported a Dutch proposal to do so. The Taoiseach said he welcomed this decision. Mr Martin was responding to Labour leader Ivana Bacik, who called on the Government to press the issue of Gaza at the United Nations. Ms Bacik said there are no words to describe the horror that Israel is inflicting upon the people of Gaza, adding that "the wickedness of starving children" cannot be overstated. "Ours is a small country, but we have fierce diplomatic power," Ms Bacik said. She said Ireland and countries around the world have a moral obligation to do more. "Ireland must stand with Palestinian children and civilians," she added. She said every step would be taken to stop the preventable death of infants, if they were from Ireland. "'[Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu's campaign was always driven by a plan to displace and exterminate," she said. "This is devastation, and the UN is failing in all our names." Labour calls on Government to table resolution at UN Ms Bacik said that Labour would be tabling a motion next week calling for collective measures by the UN to bring a lasting ceasefire and to send peacekeeping troops. She said the Government must "table an emergency resolution at the UN General Assembly to note the failure of the Security Council and call for collective measures to secure a lasting ceasefire and an international peacekeeping force for Gaza to allow humanitarian aid to flow and save lives". Deputy Bacik also called for the Government to implement the Occupied Territories Bill. Micheál Martin said he agreed with Ms Bacik's presentation of what is "an absolutely barbaric and appalling situation in Gaza". "It is simply wrong in principle and in law to inflict hunger and suffering on a civilian population whatever the circumstances and this behaviour constitutes a war crime," he said. He said he saw the comments by Israel's Finance Minister Smotrich who spoke about taking over Gaza. "He said it was absolutely reprehensible." The Taoiseach said hostages also needed to be released and said the 7 October attacks by Hamas were also barbaric. Mr Martin said there needed to be a ceasefire and a surge of humanitarian aid into Gaza. Deputy Bacik, meanwhile, praised Ireland's leadership on Gaza, but said what Israel was doing with impunity had to stop. "Ireland has to do more at international level and here at home," she said. In response, the Taoiseach said Ireland's response has been "more than just words", pointing to significant aid sent by Ireland to UNRWA. A lot of obstructions to aid in Gaza, UN spokesperson says Meanwhile, the deputy spokesperson with OCHA, the UN humanitarian office, has said systems to get aid into Gaza are overly complicated and a lot of obstructions are being put in place. Jens Laerke said that the latest information is that no aid has reached those who need it. Mr Laerke described the aid situation in Gaza at present as "tragic" saying that time is running out, and that aid organisations do not know how long Israel will allow aid to enter the enclave. Speaking on RTÉ's News at One, he said the aid has not made it past the border because other trucks from inside Gaza need to drive to the crossing point and pick the aid up. However, these trucks were not given clearance to pick up the aid, he said. He said that aid agencies will try again today with more trucks needed on both sides. He added that the clock is ticking, however, and there is an immediate need to get the aid out of the transit point. Trucks with nutrition supplies are being prioritised, he said, particularly baby food. "There are a lot of babies and children who are malnourished and who will need this for their survival. "Food and nutrition supplies have been prioritised. "That is sitting there and needs to get out." He added that the opening of aid supplies to Gaza by Israel is temporary and that aid agencies do not know how much time they will have to get the aid in and how long it will be allowed for. "It could be days or perhaps a week, it's not clear," he said. "We have a catastrophic humanitarian situation in Gaza." He said that aid is tracked by QR codes so the UN agencies have checks and balances in place to monitor what moves. However, Israel has also set up a system involving scanning, weighing and taking measurements of supplies before anything gets in, he added.
Irish Examiner
20-05-2025
- Health
- Irish Examiner
Bacik: Policy of criminalising cannabis use 'has failed'
Calls have been made for the decriminalisation of drugs as new figures reveal just 64 people have qualified for a medical cannabis programme. Labour leader Ivana Bacik has criticised the Medical Cannabis Access Programme (MCAP), saying the list of qualifying conditions is limiting uptake. "I have heard from some of those who do qualify that the programme is too complex and costly to access," she said. Ireland is among 70 countries that now have medicinal cannabis programmes in place. Spasticity in multiple sclerosis (MS) was the most common condition cited by the doctors for treatment with medical cannabis, followed by pain in MS and epilepsy. There have been 64 applications to date, all of which have been successful, under the Medical Cannabis Access Programme (MCAP) since it came into effect in November 2021. Four people qualified for medical cannabis in the first year of the scheme, with 28 applications approved in 2022 and 21 people approved in 2023. However, the number who qualified under the programme dropped to eight last year, while three people have so far been approved this year. Ms Bacik said: If the MCAP approvals are so low, and dipping further, there must be an examination of whether the scheme is working at all. Calling on the decriminalisation of the drug user through repealing Section 3 of the Misuse of Drugs Act, she said: "From my previous work as a criminal barrister, I have seen the harm done to individuals who have been brought in front of the criminal justice system for possession of drugs in personal amounts. "Many of those individuals were self-medicating or were using the drug to manage or cope with a health condition. "Clearly, the policy of criminalising the drug has failed. It has wreaked havoc on those who suffer with addiction and on their families. "The very worst harms of a criminalisation policy are experienced by people and communities who are already disadvantaged and marginalised." She said a new reformed approach must operate in the context of strategies to combat poverty and marginalisation too, as well as to ensure timely access to mental and physical healthcare. Ms Bacik also called on the Government to act on the recommendations of the Citizens' Assembly on drugs more broadly. Read More No timeline set for Ava's Protocol on medicinal cannabis in hospitals
The Journal
19-05-2025
- Politics
- The Journal
Labour's marriage equality event forced to move venues amid protest threats
THE LABOUR PARTY was forced to change venues for its marriage equality anniversary event today following threats of protest, it has said. The event was due to be held at the Hen's Teeth in Dublin 8, but following threats being made against a number of public representatives and due to concerns being raised about staff working at the venue, the party said it had no choice but to move the event to the Outhouse LGBTQ+ Centre. The party said it informed the gardaí about a number of public representatives being targeted and also about protests which were due to take place this evening. Sources within the party said the protest is understood to centre around the issue of immigration rather than about the subject of the event, the tenth anniversary of marriage equality in Ireland. They said posters to advertise the event were hung around Dublin in the last week. Party leader Ivana Bacik, Senator Laura Harmon, James Kearney, Chair of Labour LGBTQ+ and Eamon Gilmore, former leader of the Labour Party spoke at tonight's event. Speaking this evening, Bacik said: 'It's a great shame that our event to celebrate 10 years of marriage equality was targeted by members of the far right. Like many groups which have been historically marginalised in Ireland, the LGBTQ+ community has had to fight for its rights, often in the face of intimidation. Advertisement 'Labour has always been proud to stand with them in that fight, whether it was for the decriminalisation of homosexuality, for legal protections from employment discrimination, for the right to marry, for gender recognition laws, for access to PrEP and other prophylactics, and more. 'More recently, Labour was one of few political parties in Ireland to remain steadfast in our support for the introduction of stronger hate speech and hate crime legislation.' Bacik said while the safety of activists is paramount, the party took a decision 'not to bow to intimidation'. She thanked the Outhouse Centre for offering the use of its venue to allow tonight's event to go ahead and the gardaí for their advice and support in advance of tonight. Thanks was also extended to those in other political parties who came in support of the event this evening such as Green Party politicians, Michael Pidgeon and Patrick Costello, Jen Cummins of the Social Democrats and Sinn Féin's Kourtney Kenny. 'The far right cannot stop us from coming together to celebrate ten years of marriage equality, and they cannot stop us from asking 'what's next?' for LGBTQ+ rights. The events of the last few days have only served to emphasise the importance of that question,' said Bacik. She said the Labour Party remains steadfast in its determination to see the values of equality, solidarity and fairness for everyone in society be realised. Speaking at the event, Labour Senator Laura Harmon said the ten year anniversary of marriage equality is a reminder that there is much work to do in terms of equality for LGBTQI+ families and in terms of supporting the transgender community. 'Seeing Hungary ban Pride Parades is a reminder that rights can be rowed back on and we must protect the rights we have won,' she said. Harmon said the party must never stop campaigning for a better future. 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
Irish Examiner
18-05-2025
- Politics
- Irish Examiner
Just over €65m paid out in mother and baby home redress scheme
Just over €65m has been so far paid out under the mother and baby home redress scheme. However, renewed calls have been made to end the "arbitrary exclusion" from the scheme of people who spent less than six months in a home as well as those who were in institutions not named in the final report. Labour leader Ivana Bacik has also hit out at the majority of religious orders who were involved in running mother and baby homes who have refused to pay into the scheme. Only two of eight religious bodies linked to mother and baby homes have offered to contribute to a survivor redress scheme despite lengthy negotiations. The Sisters of Bon Secours offered €12.97m, a sum deemed as meaningful and accepted by the Government. The Daughters of Charity of St Vincent de Paul proposed contributing a building to the scheme and this offer is being considered by the Government. A third religious body — the Sisters of St John of God — declined to contribute to the scheme but offered a conditional donation of €75,000 to be used for a charitable purpose associated with mother and baby home survivors. No offer from five religious bodies The remaining five bodies — the Congregation of Lady of the Good Shepherd; the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary; the Congregation of the Sisters of Mercy; the Legion of Mary; and the Church of Ireland — made no offer. 'Sadly, many culpable religious orders refuse to pay redress or even acknowledge wrongdoing," Ms Bacik said. "Urgently, the Government must enact Labour's Civil Liability (Child Sexual Abuse Proceedings Unincorporated Bodies of Persons) Bill 2024. "This Bill would enable the State to compel religious orders to pay redress to survivors of abuse perpetrated within or by religious-run institutions, and also to survivors of mother and baby homes. "The bill, which was published last September, aims to provide a remedy for Government to address the legal obstruction tactics so routinely deployed by religious orders and their associated lay-run trusts. "These tactics are used to avoid having to pay redress to those who have endured abuse in institutions controlled by such orders. 'We have a dark and shameful past of institutional abuse in Ireland." For many decades, we have seen religious orders and institutions engaged in the covering up of this tragic history, with resulting injustice to survivors. "If we've learned anything as a nation, it is that accountability must be provided for survivors and victims of abuse," she said. Figures provided to Ms Bacik show that more than 6,460 applications have been made to the scheme, which opened in March 2024. Some 5,670 notices of determination have issued to applicants, over 81% of which contain an offer of benefits under the scheme. Applicants then have six months to consider their offer, before they need to respond to the Payment Office. Almost 5,000 payments are either processed and completed or in the process of being made and the total amount which has been paid out under the redress scheme to date is over €65m.
Irish Examiner
11-05-2025
- Politics
- Irish Examiner
Further delays and 'drastic cost overruns' to Dublin Metrolink not acceptable, says Bacik
Suggestions of "drastic cost overruns and further delays" to Dublin's Metrolink are unacceptable, Ivana Bacik has said. The Labour leader said her party is committed to the rollout of the project as a vitally important piece of public infrastructure for the city, but said it is conscious of the costs and delays to date. Ms Bacik said she will be seeking more clarity and information from the Government regarding suggestions made by Sean Sweeney, who is leading the project, that the metro could go up to 40% over budget and miss the current 2025 deadline. Mr Sweeney made the comments in an interview with the Business Post which Ms Bacik said left her very concerned. "We have seen enormous cost overruns and delays, we are all very conscious of that and on other big public infrastructure projects," she said, citing the Children's Hospital as a prominent example. "But, for Labour, we also do defend where we have seen public infrastructure built on time and within budget." Speaking at the annual James Connolly Commemoration at Arbour Hill in Dublin, Labour TD Marie Sherlock said there needs to be concrete assurances that the property owners protection scheme is extended to those impacted by the project. I am thinking of all those homeowners who do not have foundations under their houses, whose houses were built in the 1800s and saying 'are we going to have a home at the end of this?' That is going to be critical now in terms of providing those assurances to homeowners," said Ms Sherlock. The Metrolink has led to some criticism of the planning process, but Ms Sherlock said care must be taken not to lay the blame entirely at the feet of those who put forward objections. "We were at the oral hearing last year, Transport Infrastructure Ireland themselves did not get their plans fully right and have had to extend the planning system," she said, saying that those putting forward the proposal must also ensure that they are adequately prepared. Dublin Fingal East TD Duncan Smith said that he is deeply frustrated and angered by the years of delays calling for the project to be given "a proper impetus" adding that if "that means another look at the planning system" he would be in favour of that.
