Latest news with #BarryHeneghan
Irish Independent
2 days ago
- Politics
- Irish Independent
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.
RTÉ News
3 days ago
- Business
- RTÉ News
Growing political pressure for firm Govt action on Gaza
All day Wednesday and late into the evening on the street facing Leinster House, demonstrators sang a stinging song urging politicians to find their "backbone" and to enact the Occupied Territories Bill. The same sentiment echoed through the Dáil chamber. Some within the Government bristled over what they believe is a shocking failure to take into account its outspoken voice on Gaza. Words that have been matched by deeds, including €87 million in funding for people in Palestine since 2023, recognising the State of Palestine, supporting South Africa's case against Israel at the International Court of Justice, and leading the way in requesting a review of the EU-Israel Association Agreement. The Taoiseach even claimed there is a battle under way domestically for moral superiority on what has become one of the most emotive issues in Irish politics. The language denouncing Israel's actions has become sharper too with both Taoiseach Micheál Martin and Tánaiste Simon Harris repeatedly using the word genocide this week. All remaining ambiguity and lingering diplomatic niceties have now been cast aside. The Taoiseach believes the single more effective next step is to try to persuade the EU and the US to "pull their support for the State of Israel". But it is the requirement for further direct interventions by this State rather than words alone which is fueling immense political tension. A significant political act was about to unfold It was evident as the bells were clanging around Leinster House just after 6pm on Wednesday when the weekly votes were called. A significant political act was about to unfold before the business concluded. Reporters watched from the Dáil gallery as Dublin Bay-North TD Barry Heneghan took his seat to vote on a Sinn Féin Bill. It was a piece of legislation that would prevent the Central Bank from retaining its technical role in approving the prospectus which allows Israel sell bonds in the EU. Israel has made it clear that these bonds are used to fund its war in Gaza. Sinn Féin's legal advice stated that a Member State is entitled as a matter of EU law to unilaterally restrict access to its financial services. It can do so on public policy grounds that are rooted in Ireland's fundamental interest in pursuing its international law obligations, the legal opinion concluded. The Government argued that the Bill did not provide a legal mechanism to allow the Central Bank of Ireland set aside its obligations under the EU Prospectus Regulation. It argued this was an EU competence, and the Central Bank can only refuse the approval of a prospectus where it has a legal basis to do so. The advice circulated to ministers added that it is legally required to issue prospectuses that are complete, legally sound, and comprehensible. For Barry Heneghan, who had supported the Government in every vote up to this point, this was a matter of conscience, and he believed Ireland shouldn't facilitate the sale of bonds that help fund the devastation in Gaza. He left Leinster House around 9pm on Wednesday, long after the bells had ceased ringing, certain in the knowledge that he had made the right decision. Generally, there was little political alarm triggered by his vote within Government. Some whispered that "Barry can be difficult to manage", and that it was simply a "flexing of muscles". But it did unquestionably show that those Independents, who occupy a liminal position within the Coalition, are perhaps a more fragile bloc of votes than first suspected. This was further illustrated by the actions of Meath-East TD Gillian Toole. Before 9pm she was on a bus back home to Ratoath having also voted against the Government on the Bill. Regarded as a deep-thinker and a conscientious politician, Gillian Toole cited the lack of detailed briefings from the Government as an influence on her decision. The two TDs are still aligned to the Coalition, their jump overboard is a temporary one, and the Government's majority is not shattered. 'Call out the narrative for what it is' It is emblematic though of the growing pressure on the Government to accompany its increasingly strident rhetoric on Gaza with firm actions. The acerbic exchange between the Tánaiste and Independent TD Catherine Connolly in the Dáil on Thursday morning typified the fractiousness which has built around this issue. The Galway West TD made an impassioned call on Government to do more, saying: "It's time we led. Call out the narrative for what it is. Israel is a rogue state; it is not a democratic state. Stand up, stand up and account for what you're going to do." In a charged atmosphere, Simon Harris accused her of expressing "vitriol and dislike for Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil" and of refusing to acknowledge the major steps taken by the Government. It all suggests that the Government will now be pursued relentlessly by protesters, the Opposition, and perhaps by some Independent TDs supporting the Coalition, to pass the Occupied Territories Bill quickly. The Foreign Affairs Committee, chaired by Fianna Fáil TD John Lahart, has already singalled that it will sit throughout June to progress this legislation swiftly. The speed of its passage through the Oireachtas after this committee work has concluded will be the measure of the Government's strong words on Gaza this week.
Irish Times
4 days ago
- General
- Irish Times
Committees of the Oireachtas are back, but why can't Irish politicians ask a good question?
Pat Leahy and Harry McGee join Hugh Linehan to look back on the week in politics: Committees of the Oireachtas are indeed back, but rigor and insight seem to be missing in some of the questions posed by politicians during RTÉ's appearance in front of the Oireachtas media committee on Wednesday. Independent TDs Barry Heneghan and Gillian Toole , who support the Government, put a dent in the Coalition's majority by voting in favour of a Sinn Féin Bill in support of Palestine. Former Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams was awarded €100,000 after a jury found he was defamed by a 2016 BBC TV programme and related article that falsely accused him of sanctioning the murder of a British agent. And is it time to disband Children's Health Ireland ? Minister for Health Jennifer Carroll-MacNeill is considering subsuming the statutory body into the HSE following several controversies during its six years in existence. Plus, the panel picks their favourite Irish Times pieces of the week: The tight Polish presidential race , looming climate fines , the rise of the campervan , and the wonderful Cáit O'Riordan .
BreakingNews.ie
5 days ago
- Business
- BreakingNews.ie
Two Regional Independent TDs vote against Government on Sinn Féin bill
Two TDs who are part of the Coalition-supporting Regional Independent Group voted against the Government on Wednesday night on Sinn Féin's Israeli bonds bill. Barry Heneghan and Gillian Toole voted with the Opposition despite previously saying they would support the Government on motions similar to this. Advertisement Up until now, the pair have voted with the Coalition. TDs voted 87-75 against a motion brought by Sinn Féin to force the Irish Central Bank to end its role in facilitating the 'Israeli war bonds' in the EU. Minister for Finance Paschal Donohoe has previously said the Sinn Féin motion was unworkable and inconsistent with EU law. Members of the Opposition held up signs saying "stop funding genocide" as they failed in the Dáil vote. Advertisement In a statement, Mr Heneghan said he voted in favour of the Sinn Féin motion 'because Ireland shouldn't facilitate the sale of bonds that help fund the devastation in Gaza'. 'I'm voting for the bill because Ireland shouldn't facilitate the sale of bonds that help fund the devastation in Gaza,' he added. 'This is about standing up for international law and basic human rights.' Mr Heneghan said he was 'fully committed' to the Programme for Government, adding 'as an Independent TD, I reserve the right to act on matters of conscience'. 'The situation is urgent, and Ireland must show leadership,' he said. Mr Heneghan and Ms O'Toole are part of the Regional Independent Group of TDs, which is informally led by Michael Lowry, whose role in government formation talks was controversial. Speaking rights on opposition time for the group led to huge confrontation in the Dáil, delaying the nomination of Taoiseach Micheál Martin and the formation of Dáil committees.
Irish Times
5 days ago
- Business
- Irish Times
Independents Barry Heneghan, Gillian Toole vote against Coalition and in favour of Sinn Féin's pro-Palestine Bill
Independent TDs Barry Heneghan and Gillian Toole, who support the Government, have voted against the Coalition in favour of a Sinn Féin Bill in support of Palestine. The Dáil voted by a margin of 87 to 75 against the Opposition party's Bill that sought to curtail Israeli access to sell bonds through the Irish financial system The Central Bank of Ireland has a role in approving documents on bonds issued by the Israeli government, which have been described as 'war bonds' by the Opposition. The Bill would have prevented the Irish Central Bank from approving the prospectus that allows Israel to trade its bonds in the European Union. Despite the Bill being defeated, the result prompted a protest in the Dáil with the Opposition standing up and holding up small banners declaring: 'Stop financing genocide' when the Ceann Comhairle announced the vote. READ MORE Most Social Democrats TDs held up the banners; deputies Sinead Gibney and Jen Cummins remained seated. In a statement issued after a vote, Mr Heneghan said he supported the legislation 'because Ireland shouldn't facilitate the sale of bonds that help fund the devastation in Gaza'. 'I'm voting for the bill because Ireland shouldn't facilitate the sale of bonds that help fund the devastation in Gaza,' he said. 'This is about standing up for international law and basic human rights.' Mr Heneghan said he was 'fully committed' to the Programme for Government, but he added that 'as an Independent TD, I reserve the right to act on matters of conscience'. 'The situation is urgent, and Ireland must show leadership,' he said. Ms Toole said afterwards that there had been 'no detailed briefing' from Government about the impact on EU legislation. Mr Heneghan and Ms O'Toole were part of the Regional Independent Group of TDs which convened around Tipperary North TD Michael Lowry during Programme for Government negotiations. After the negotiations were concluded, Mr Lowry said the group would support the Government 'on good days and bad'. However, the allocation of speaking rights for the group became a major flashpoint in the early days of this Dáil, sparking a bitter row that led to disruptions in the Dáil and the abandonment of the first effort to elect Micheál Martin as Taoiseach. During the negotiations that followed, Mr Heneghan, Ms O'Toole and Danny Healy-Rae wrote to the Ceann Comhairle indicating that their support for the Government was on a 'case-by-case basis'. This led to anger among senior Coalition figures who believed the intervention meant the Government's effective majority in the Dáil had been reduced. While Mr Heneghan said that he remained committed to the Programme for Government, his siding with the opposition is a new departure. Minister for Finance Paschal Donohoe has said the legislation was unworkable and inconsistent with EU law. There were clashes in the Dáil on Wednesday between Taoiseach Micheál Martin and Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald. She said it was 'bogus' for the Taoiseach to say he was advised the Bill might be inconsistent with EU law. 'We have over 20 pages of independent, robust legal opinion clearly stating that the Bill is compliant with Irish law, European law and international law,' she said. Under the advice, a member State can under EU law unilaterally restrict access to its financial services, under an obligation to comply with international law and ensure compliance of the law by third states such as Israel. However, there was no certainty that EU infringement proceedings would not be taken. The Taoiseach said there was a pattern from Sinn Féin 'to try and drive a wedge' between the Government and the people of Ireland 'in respect of what Israel is doing'. He accused her of 'bandying words around like 'facilitating', 'complicit' and 'genocide', which are false.' He said it was a 'false narrative'. He insisted the 'Central Bank does not approve and does not issue or sell or oversee the sale of Israeli bonds'. Social Democrats' acting leader Cian O'Callaghan said the bonds were 'explicitly advertised as being crucial to the war effort. 'Israel is running marketing campaigns imploring people to buy these bonds so they can stand with Israel,' he said. Mr Martin said the Central Bank of Ireland is part of the European Central Bank and that it was a constituent member of the ECB. 'It does not act unilaterally on fundamental matters in terms of this,' he said.
