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RTÉ News
23-05-2025
- Politics
- RTÉ News
Slow steps taken by Government amid call for action over Gaza
Political progress is sometimes described as being about inches not miles, a phrase meant to explain how change often happens slowly and incrementally rather than with sudden leaps forward. But when the discussion is about the situation in Gaza, for many that explanation is no longer tenable, with those leaps forward now being urged by a growing number of people who feel the devastated enclave cannot continue to wait. That is the dilemma facing officials in Government Buildings, Leinster House and the nearby Department of Foreign Affairs offices in Iveagh House this weekend, as both sides of the Dáil speak with one voice on the need for action, but differ on what exactly that action should involve, and when it should occur. For Government, plans to raise the Occupied Territories Bill at Cabinet next week; to seek international backing for the EU-Israel trade agreement to be suspended while it is under review; and to describe the Israeli military and Israeli governments actions in Gaza as "war crimes" mean steps forward are slowly being taken. But for the Opposition, further immediate measures such as banning the Central Bank sale of Israeli war bonds due; increasing scrutiny of what military aircraft is flying through Irish airspace; and calling for a formal rebuke of the United Nations' security council's response to the situation in Gaza mean more measures are still required. Added to that political divide is the equally complex question of how Government responds to the Israeli defence forces on Wednesday firing bullets over the heads of Irish and other diplomats in Jenin, and the separate shooting of two Israeli embassy officials in Washington DC later that night. Worrying developments which make the already difficult diplomatic and political way forward even more complex, as Government attempts to choose its next steps carefully on an issue that is now under the intensifying focus of a white-hot national and international spotlight. Government inches forward For Government, those steps are taking place, albeit at a slower pace than some may feel is acceptable. The first step is perhaps the most high-profile one domestically, namely long-awaited progress on the Occupied Territories Bill. In the lead-up to last November's general election, and with one eye on how any decision may be seen by the winner of the US presidential election which was taking place at the same time, the then Fianna Fáil-Fine Gael-Greens coalition agreed to enact a version of Independent Senator Frances Black's now seven-year-old bill as soon as possible - if reelected. That promise has so far failed to materialise, with the officially stated reason being the need to ensure the bill would survive any future legal challenges, and Opposition claims the delay has as much to do with feared international push-back. However, in recent days that situation has changed. Speaking during a near four-hour Dáil statements session on Gaza on Wednesday, Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Harris confirmed he will bring a memo to Cabinet this coming Tuesday on the bill, telling TDs: "The Irish people are asking and the world is asking, what does it take for the world to do more?" The Tánaiste said the world has in his view "now reached a moment of clarity", saying the bill is needed due to "the warnings of death ringing in our ears" over the scenes in Gaza. The following day, the Fine Gael leader repeated that view on RTÉ's Morning Ireland, telling presenter Áine Lawlor "my intention next week [this coming week] is to formally get a Government decision that I can proceed" with the Bill. That plan will specifically involve the Tánaiste receiving permission for his officials to draft the heads of bill of the Government's version of the Occupied Territories Bill. If as widely expected permission is given by Cabinet, officials will finalise the draft heads of bill and send them to the Oireachtas committee on foreign affairs at an as yet unspecified time in June, which will in turn examine the heads of bill in a process known as pre-legislative scrutiny during a number of subsequent meetings. There are, however, two important hurdles to that plan, the first of which is whether the bill will include a ban on both goods and services from what are described in the bill as the occupied territories, a situation Senator Black told RTÉ's Drivetime on Thursday is needed as technologically "we're not in the 1950s, trade is trade". That dual ban, though, is not guaranteed, with the Tánaiste saying while he is open to the possibility of including both goods and services, a wording still needs to be found that would allow the bill to survive any legal challenges. The second hurdle is the likely timeline of the bill. Due to the need for it to pass through pre-legislative committee scrutiny over a number of weeks - a process Government sources said usually takes eight weeks but can be accelerated - a Dáil and Seanad vote on the bill is more likely in autumn than by the mid-July Dáil summer recess. This means that, despite recent developments, an actual Occupied Territories Act may still be a number of months rather than weeks away. The months-long wait is clearly a problem for those calling for the immediate enactment of the bill, but it is potentially not quite as big a difficulty for Government than it may at first seem. That is because while the Occupied Territories Bill will in reality affect a comparatively small amount of trade between Ireland and what the bill terms the occupied territories, it has arguably far more impact symbolically. That point was referenced by the Tánaiste in the Dáil on Wednesday, when he said it can no longer be "business as usual" with Israel, and by Senator Black on Thursday who likened it to Ireland in 1987 becoming the first western European nation to ban trade with apartheid South Africa, saying "we can start something really big here, other [countries] will follow". There could, some suspect, be a reason for those words. On Tuesday, EU members voted to review the 25-year-old EU-Israel Trade Agreement, a move that could potentially carry far more significant financial ramifications for Israel than any posed by the Occupied Territories Bill on its own. The EU decision was based on Article Two of the agreement relating to human rights concerns, and was not unanimous, with 17 countries voting for the review and nine - Germany, Hungary, Italy, Czechia, Croatia, Cyprus, Lithuania, Greece and Bulgaria - opposing any changes. But the fact that calls for changes are no longer just being made by Ireland and Spain, who until recently were EU outliers on the issue, underlines how support for action on the EU trade agreement is now gathering pace. Speaking in the Dáil on Wednesday, Taoiseach Micheál Martin said the EU-Israel Trade Agreement review is far from insignificant, before calling for the agreement to be "suspended" while the review takes place as well as saying he expects "meaningful conclusions" to be made by it. While proponents of the Occupied Territories Bill believe it is crucial in order to make Ireland's position clear on what is happening in Gaza, a fact not disputed by any political party, it has also been argued that the real focus should be on the EU-Israel trade agreement due to the significantly bigger financial impact it carries. During a private meeting with Senator Black on Thursday evening, Tánaiste Simon Harris is understood to have raised the dual process himself, telling Senator Black Ireland can push for "both" the Occupied Territories Bill to be passed and for the EU trade deal to be potentially changed. It should not be ignored that subtly linking both legislative scenarios does give Government some limited breathing space to defend the still-slow pace of the Occupied Territories Bill's enactment while giving Ireland a degree of cover internationally as the EU may yet embark on a similar step - requirements which are rarely far from politicians' minds. But it does also highlight the ongoing argument that progress, while slow, is taking place, and there may be hidden reasons for the pace involved. Opposition calls for immediate action The developments on the Occupied Territories Bill have been welcomed in principle by opposition parties, which have repeatedly sought the bill's publication and enactment over the past year. But that welcome has carried a caveat, with the opposition also saying that the delays have been unacceptable, and that other immediate actions are also needed as in their view the people of Gaza can no longer wait on political strategy to bear fruit. Those concerns were raised by TDs during a number of Dáil exchanges in recent days, and most prominently during the near four-hour Gaza statements session on Wednesday. They included Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald, who said while she welcomed the recent decision by the Taoiseach and Tánaiste to describe the Israeli military and Israeli government's actions in Gaza as "war crimes", that must be followed up by specific steps immediately - before saying "weasel words and carefully crafted platitudes" are not enough. In addition to re-confirming her support for the Occupied Territories Bill, Deputy McDonald said her party will this coming week publish a bill seeking to ban the Central Bank of Ireland from selling "Israeli war bonds right across the EU". The situation - which has been repeatedly highlighted by Solidarity-People Before Profit TD Richard Boyd Barrett and Ruth Coppinger, among others, for more than a year - is due to complex EU-wide banking rules which currently designate Ireland as the "home country" for the sale of Israeli war bonds across the EU. That process is far from financially insignificant, with Sinn Féin's finance spokesperson Pearse Doherty saying "Israel has raised roughly €12 billion globally through the sale of bonds since Ireland became the 'home country' in 2021" - a fact Deputy McDonald told the Dáil is "an obscenity" given what is happening in Gaza. The Sinn Féin demand for immediate action was repeated elsewhere in the Dáil chamber, with Social Democrats TD Sinéad Gibney - until recently the party's foreign affairs spokesperson - saying there is a real need for action by Government on military planes flying through Irish airspace. Deputy Gibney referenced media reports stating some of these flights involved alleged military equipment subsequently used in Gaza, an issue which remains the subject of a yet to be published Department of Transport review, and said if Ireland is genuine about taking steps to prevent the violence in Gaza it should not ignore the situation. She continued by saying "the bar is now so low it is not on the ground, it is hidden underneath the rubble in Gaza", before telling Government to "enact the Occupied Territories Bill, stop the sale of Israeli war bonds, inspect flights" and take other measures as soon as possible". Those comments were repeated by dozens of other Opposition - and in some cases backbench Government TDs - over the course of Wednesday's Dáil discussion. They included Deputy Gibney's Social Democrats' colleague Gary Gannon, who while welcoming the Government's Occupied Territories Bill announcement summed up the Opposition's reasoning for more immediate action to go alongside it, saying despite 19 months of violence the Government is in his view still only saying "next week we'll bring a memo". But taking a different tact was Labour, whose leader Ivana Bacik told Government that a practical step that could happen immediately would be to back another Gaza-related Dáil motion her party will publish next week. The Labour motion, due to be tabled on Tuesday, will say that in light of the fact that 55,000 people have been killed in Gaza, including 15,000 children, the United Nations' Security Council - a group consisting of the 15 most powerful UN members and whose five permanent members with vetoes are the US, Russia, the UK, China and France - has in Labour's view "failed" in its duties. Deputy Bacik said the motion will state that a United Nations ruling dating back to 1950 allows the UN general assembly - which consists of all 193 UN members - to "act in the absence of a unanimous decision by the security council" on an issue of grave importance if it is felt the security council is unable to do so due to the veto arrangement. As such, she added, due to the lack of action by the security council on Gaza, the Labour motion will next week call on Government to seek "an emergency special session of the UN general assembly". At that emergency special session, she said, Ireland should table a vote on creating "an international peacekeeping force for Gaza to allow for the deliver of humanitarian aid through the UN, and the safety and security of the Palestinian people". That proposal has underlined the Opposition message to Government at home: while progress on the Occupied Territories Bill and the EU-Israel trade agreement is welcome, other steps can be taken immediately by politicians in Ireland. Situation in Gaza In reality of course, all Dáil parties are in the rare position of effectively making the same point: action is needed to address what is happening Gaza. The division is over what that action involves, and how quickly it can be introduced. None of that, though, should take the spotlight away from the situation in Gaza, which is continuing to be documented on TV screens, radio programmes, newspapers, websites and social media every day. It is now almost three weeks since Taoiseach Micheál Martin said in a carefully prepared written speech at the Global Ireland Summit at Dublin Castle that the Israeli military and Israeli government's actions in Gaza and plans to remove people from the enclave are "war crimes". In the Dáil this week, TDs voiced similar concerns, united in their condemnation of what is taking place. Sinn Féin's Mairéad Farrell said "you can only control what you can do", a view echoed by her party colleague Darren O'Rourke who said: "We need action, not statements, on Gaza." Labour's Duncan Smith said while in his view a recent change in domestic and international political reaction to what is happening are "a day late and a dollar short", he acknowledged that "perhaps, just perhaps, the international tide is turning". Solidarity-People Before Profit TD Paul Murphy commended Government for what he described as its "good strong words of criticism", but asked "what actions do you take". While Government TDs Malcolm Byrne of Fianna Fáil and Barry Ward of Fine Gael echoed the remarks, saying respectively that "a sane country does not fight against civilians, does not kill children" and that the situation in Gaza is "appalling". The calls for action were clear, and genuine - as were a number of contributions emphasising that the concerns being raised by Irish politicians are about their view of the Israeli military and Israeli government's actions in Gaza, and are not about the wider Israeli population. But whether that action now takes place at a slow or fast pace, and whether it is measured in inches or miles, is where politicians remain divided, with that discussion likely to define Ireland's political response to the crisis in Gaza both domestically and internationally in the weeks, months and potentially years to come.
Irish Times
17-05-2025
- Politics
- Irish Times
Miriam Lord: It's been like Alfred Hitchcock's The Birds on Merrion Street since the sun started to shine
Mooney Goes Wild should do a programme from Leinster House. For starters, there is the squawking and squealing Dáil Chorus, which never happens too early in the morning and runs all through the year with long breaks for the holidays. And then there's the wildlife. Rats. Mice. Inside and out. READ MORE Slugs in the basement. Bluebottle infestations. Incontinent pigeons. Black ants. Randy moths. Foxes breaking and entering. And don't mention the dive-bombing seagulls snatching grub from unwitting snackers on the plinth. Here's the latest on the wildlife front. It seems the seagulls are upping their game and launching a ground war to go with the usual aerial offensive. Their target is Government Buildings . From the Taoiseach down, nobody is safe. The corridors of power could be destroyed this weekend. Maintenance sent an email to all occupants yesterday explaining the situation. 'As we are experiencing some (rare, much-needed and well deserved!) warm weather at the moment, a lot of windows in the building are open during the day. 'Please ensure that any windows you may have opened during the day are closed before you leave in the evening, including any windows on the corridors. 'Your co-operation is much appreciated as we have had a few seagulls visiting!' Apparently it has been like Alfred Hitchcock's The Birds on Merrion Street since the sun started to shine with seagulls ducking in through the open windows once people go home and making themselves at home. Eating anything they can find and pooing with abandon. The chequerboard ministerial corridor will be ruined entirely. It couldn't be that bad? A bird fancier tells us: 'If they don't close those windows they'll come in on Monday morning and it'll be like Dumbo the Elephant was flying around the place all weekend'. Who has the knives out for Jim O'Callaghan? Is everything all right, Jim? Justice has always been considered a tough ministerial gig. But things must be very bad in the St Stephen's Green HQ if Jim O'Callaghan 's interesting aside in the Dáil on Thursday is anything to go by. During questions on Justice, Gary Gannon of the Soc Dems asked the Minister what he intends to do to alleviate 'the worsening crisis of prison overcrowding, where over 350 people are reportedly sleeping on floors and prison numbers are at a record high'. Jim began by saying he has already embarked on a prison visiting programme. 'Since I've been made Minister I've been to Cork Prison, I've been to Cloverhill and I'm going to another prison on Monday,' he revealed. 'I intend to visit every prison – if I'm lucky enough to survive in office for a sufficient period of time...' What? Sufficient period of time? There are 12 active prisons in the country – 10 traditional 'closed' prisons and two 'open' centres. Once he completes his next visit on Monday, Minister O'Callaghan will have four tours under his belt with just eight more prisons to go. That shouldn't take him too long. At the rate he's going he might even achieve the full set before the summer recess. If he's lucky enough to survive, that is. Who has the knives out for poor Jim? Is the Coalition at breaking point already? Is there something we should know? The Government wasn't formed until late in January. It's a bit early for the Minister for Justice and Insecurity to be talking like that. Social Democrats rejig senior roles The Leinster House rumour mill cranked into action on Thursday with rumblings about big changes afoot in the Social Democrats . Sinéad Gibney , the party's then spokesperson on foreign affairs, was mentioned in dispatches. She recently refused to say whether she would remain in the parliamentary party if the suspended TD Eoin Hayes was readmitted. The Dublin Bay South TD was suspended indefinitely for misleading the party over when he sold his shares in a firm which supplies the Israeli military. The rumour was unfounded. Sinéad was not leaving the party nor was Eoin returning – at least, not yet. Social Democrats TD Sinéad Gibney. Photograph: Stephen Collins/Collins In a somewhat less dramatic development, the Soc Dems announced their deputy for Dublin Rathdown was being replaced as spokesperson on foreign affairs by Senator Patricia Stephenson in a rejigging of senior roles. Sinead is now spokesperson on enterprise, trade and rmployment; arts, media, communications and culture; and efence. She later said: 'I know that Gaza in particular is a hugely important topic for everybody right now, so it is important to say this is not going to stop me or any other member of the parliamentary party continuing to work on Gaza and hold this Government to account on its inaction.' The week before, when still wearing her Foreign Affairs hat, Sinéad passionately called on the Government to use its position within the European Union to persuade Europe to finally stand up to Israel as it continues its monstrous onslaught on the people of Gaza. As a mere Opposition TD, Sinéad does not have the power to do this. 'All we can do is use the parliamentary tools that are available to us. We will continue to raise this again, and again and again. I will continue to attend protests. I'll keep getting my nails done with the Palestinian flag.' That's one way of nailing your colours to the mast. At the news of Sinéad's replacement, Alan Shatter , the former Fine Gael minister for justice and diehard defender of Israel, was out of the starting stalls as soon as he could straighten his blinkers. 'The Social Democrats should clarify whether regularly painting their nails with the Palestinian flag remains the party's foreign policy priority or whether its now abandoned,' he gleefully tweeted. Apart from providing social media fodder to the former minister for justice, Sinéad's tone-deaf nail art comment – given the unfolding catastrophe in Gaza – raised eyebrows among politicians in Leinster House. We hear some of them are now calling her 'Nailson Mandela'. Simon Harris surprises Seán Kyne with a cake for a roundy birthday Happy birthday to Senator Seén Kyne, Fine Gael's leader in the Seanad. The former TD for Galway West, who lost his seat in 2020 and is in his second term in the Upper House, was 50 yesterday. On Wednesday, party leader Simon Harris surprised him in Leinster House with a birthday cake. It's a miracle the smoke detectors didn't go off with the amount of candles on his Colin the Caterpillar. Seán was chairing a meeting of senators in the party rooms when Simon burst through the door with Colin the Caterpillar cake ablaze on a big plate. He hadn't been expecting the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs – who has a hectic travel schedule at the moment – to turn up out of the blue like that. As his colleagues burst into a chorus of 'Happy Birthday', the red-faced and mortified senator didn't know where to look. McEntee not taxed by questions on inheritance tax Independent Ireland TD Ken O'Flynn is among a number of TDs and senators who have been asking the Government to reform the inheritance tax system so people who don't have children can pass on the same tax-free amount to their loved ones as parents are allowed to leave to their children. 'Is it equitable that parents like yourself, Minister, with two children, can leave up to €800,000 tax free' he asked Minister for Education Helen McEntee , who was standing in for the Tánaiste at Leaders' Questions on Thursday, 'where people like myself with no children ... can [only] leave €80,000 tax free to loved ones? That's 10 times less. The system penalises the childless citizen of this country for the simple fact that they do not or perhaps cannot have children.' At present, parents and some grandparents can pass on €400,000 to a child tax free. Other relatives can leave someone €40,000 tax free. For everyone else the limit is €20,000. The Minister gave a sympathetic but non-committal reply. 'As a Government, we have made changes to our inheritance tax system over the last number of years. I appreciate it does not apply to the scenarios you're referencing…' The State is telling many thousands of childless people they 'are less deserving and their relationships with their niece, nephew, siblings or lifelong friends simply do not count' argued the TD for Cork North Central. He gave a striking example of the unfairness of the measure: 'If I leave all my money to the dog's home, the dog's home pays absolutely zero tax. So therefore, the chihuahua has more rights in this country than the childless citizen or my niece or my nephew.' He got another woolly response. 'This is about all of us collectively looking at our rules and how we can make them more equitable, fairer and how we apply them equally. We have to do so, however, within the parameters and contexts available to us. I am very aware of this and I am sure the Minister is open to doing that.' Meaningless dogswallop, as the chihuahua might say. No-show from the Others on union recognition Bill On Wednesday, the Dáil had a lively discussion on People Before Profit 's Union Recognition Bill. Concluding the debate, PBP-Solidarity's Paul Murphy began by noting that it was ending 10 minutes ahead of time. 'It's because the Lowry group, who fought so hard to get their time to speak on these matters, don't presumably consider it important to come and speak about trade union rights, or maybe they are embarrassed because they are going to vote against trade union rights later on today.' The final Opposition speaking slot was for speakers from the 'Others' group. Nobody showed up. We checked the result of that night's vote. The Coalition voted against the Bill. The combined Opposition – parties and independents – supported it. Two of the three members of the Lowry Udders without Government jobs – Barry Heneghan and Gillian Toole, voted down the Bill to allow trade union recognition in workplaces. Michael Lowry didn't vote. Danny Healy-Rae didn't vote either. Of the two non-Government supporting independents who are also in the Udders category, Mattie McGrath didn't vote and Offaly's Carol Nolan voted in favour with the Opposition.
Irish Examiner
14-05-2025
- Irish Examiner
The Hotel Examiner: Read our reviews of some of Ireland's top-rated hotels
Adare Manor, Co Limerick Impressive and opulent with wonderful staff, this luxurious hotel wants you to have fun while enjoying serious comfort. Our reviewer, travel editor Jillian Bolger, clearly aligns with Adare's ranking as the best hotel in Ireland. Her 10/10 review says the landmark property delivers 'everything you'd expect from a leading five-star estate'. Read our review here. The Merrion, Dublin Fashioned from four adjoining Georgian townhouses, built in the 1760s as the homes of nobility and notable merchants, the handsome heritage property looks across to Government Buildings and is a saunter to St Stephen's Green and Grafton Street. Earning a 9.5/10 score from our reviewer, Jillian was particularly taken by The Merrion's style and design. 'Comfortable and elegant, it offers a stylish cocoon away from the city centre's busy-ness.' Read our review here. Harvey's Point, Co Donegal A warm welcome was among the standouts for Jillian at Harvey's Point, which she awarded 8.5/10. 'The welcome at Harvey's Point is just as I'd hoped. Warm, emphatic and authentic, we are greeted by concierge Ailish McGlone, sister of former owner Deirdre and Marc Gysling,' she writes. Read our review here. Hayfield Manor, Cork Old world elegance and brilliant staff make Cork city's five-star Hayfield Manor shine, Jillian writes after her 9.5/10 stay. 'Despite being walking distance from the city centre, this Ireland's Blue Book property offers a real sense of rural escapism, thanks to private and fabulously leafy grounds in a mature, residential area.' Read our review here. Dromoland Castle, Co Clare Dromoland Castle scooped a 9/10 rating from reviewer Thom Breathnach earlier this year, for whom iot was love at first sight. 'Winding down its woodland and fairway-flanked driveway, Dromoland Castle emerges across the lake and fluttering bulrushes with legendary impact prompting, in my case, an audible 'wow' moment,' he writes. Read our review here. Intercontinental Dublin Dublin's Intercontinental Hotel, ranked 19th in Ireland by Tripadvisor, failed to elicit such a positive response from Jillian last September after the dinner service left a sour taste. 'Things fall apart at dinner where service swings between friendly, forgetful, and careless,' she writes, adding: 'Dirty tables pile up around us and the staff seem more intent on clearing these than looking after diners.' Read our review here.
Scoop
12-05-2025
- General
- Scoop
Gowns Flying, Whānau Crying—It Must Be Te Herenga Waka Graduation Week
With over 2,600 graduates, two parades, and eight ceremonies, this May graduation will fill Wellington's streets with cloaked and capped graduates. Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington's graduates will honour the community that saw them through and the connections they have made, as they cross the stage. Among those crossing the stage this graduation will be Luamanuvao Dame Winnie Laban, our first Assistant Vice-Chancellor (Pasifika), who is being awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Literature, after leaving her position at the start of this year. The inaugural recipients of our Master of Criminology, as well as an early graduate of the Bachelor of Global Studies, will also be graduating in the May ceremonies. Parades on Tuesday 13 and Thursday 15 May will see graduates walk from the Government Buildings to Queens Wharf Square, before our ceremonies are held at Michael Fowler Centre. 'This is a time to recognise academic achievement, but also to acknowledge the perseverance and resilience it has taken our graduates to achieve their goals. 'We are in a time of global change, but our graduates have developed values and relationships that will sustain them throughout their lives,' says Chancellor Alan Judge, who will preside over graduation for the first time in his new role. 'To our graduates—our future leaders and innovators, I look forward to walking alongside as you lead us into the future with creativity, empathy, and determination,' says Mr Judge. The University will award PhDs to 50 graduates at the May ceremony. These graduates have added significantly to research in their fields, across the sciences, social sciences, arts, and beyond. Vice-Chancellor Nic Smith says this cohort of graduates deserve every moment of praise for their incredible accomplishments. "Our graduates are wonderful ambassadors for the remarkable work taking place at Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington. The impact of our university on society is significant, and we are proud to see our graduates take their skills, connections, and commitment to community into the public, creative, and commercial sectors that underpin our society. 'I look forward to witnessing the contributions they will make as they join our global network of 150,000 alumni. Congratulations to all our graduates — we celebrate your achievements and look forward to your future successes."
Sunday World
06-05-2025
- Sunday World
Man who rammed Leinster House, Custom House and Aras An Uachtaráin gates spared jail
The judge told David O'Callaghan 'Any repeat and you will end up in prison' A judge has warned a man who was suffering from a paranoid delusion when he rammed gates at Leinster House and Aras An Uachtaráin last year that he will end up in prison if he repeats his offending. David O'Callaghan (41) of the Fairways, Woodbrook Glen, Bray, Co Wicklow, caused over €60,000 worth of damage after he drove at gates at Leinster House, Custom House and Aras An Uachtaráin, Dublin Circuit Criminal Court previously heard. O'Callaghan pleaded guilty to driving into the rear gates of Leinster House and two counts of criminal damage, all on August 2 last. He told gardai that a person he believed to be his father was 'spiking' and spraying poison in his food and room. He said he had been communicating with President Michael D Higgins about this and decided to crash into the gates to stop it himself. O'Callaghan said he didn't want to get inside, only cause damage. He has since been diagnosed with schizophrenia and is receiving treatment. O'Callaghan has 11 previous convictions, including for drug offences. After hearing facts last month, Judge Martin Nolan directed the Probation Service to comply conditions for the supervision of O'Callaghan. Damaged gates at Government Buildings; (inset) David O'Callaghan Today, Judge Nolan imposed a four-year prison sentence, which he suspended on strict conditions including that O'Callaghan place himself under the supervision of the Probation Services for 21 months. The judge told O'Callaghan: 'You have to do what they [the Probation Service] tell you to do.' 'You're getting a chance, principally by reason of your underlying problems, but any repeat and you will end up in prison,' the judge said, adding that O'Callaghan would be brought back before the court if he offended during the term of the suspended sentence. Garda Niamh McCarthy previously told Oisin Clarke BL, prosecuting, that O'Callaghan drove a white Ford Transit van to Chesterfield Avenue, then did a sweeping u-turn in front of the entrance gates of Aras An Uachtaráin before reversing into them and breaching them, before driving away. The gates were inoperable for a period of time after this incident, with repairs costing €4,795. O'Callaghan then drove to the Customs House, where he drove into gates, reversed out, then turned and reversed in for a second time. The court heard the gates were not forced open the first time he hit them, but after he reversed into them. Approximately €2,000 worth of damage was caused. A few minutes later, a garda on duty at the rear of Leinster House heard a loud crash, then metal hitting the ground. He saw a vehicle reversing from the gates towards Merrion Street Upper. A short time later, the garda heard two further crashes and then noticed a van stopped near the Department of the Taoiseach and that a set of gates at the Ministers' Entrance were off the hinges. O'Callaghan damaged three sets of gates at the rear of Leinster House in quick succession at around 2.30am. David O'Callaghan News in 90 Seconds - Tuesday, May 6th The first gate was not fully breached after O'Callaghan drove straight into it due to the anti-ram protection in place. He then reversed at speed into the gate known as the Minsters' Entrance, knocking it from its hinges. One of the gates collided with an usher's hut, smashing a window. The court heard that O'Callaghan struck the perimeter gate at the Department of the Taoiseach with such force that the airbags deployed and the van was inoperable afterwards. O'Callaghan then got out of the van and appeared to be drinking from something. It also looked like he had his phone and was recording, the court heard. Over €52,000 damage was caused to the gates at Leinster House. He told gardai at the scene that he had been driving the van and he admitted crashing into the gates at Leinster House, Customs House and Aras an Uachtaráin. He also told gardai that he had consumed alcohol and cocaine earlier that evening. After his arrest, O'Callaghan told gardai he had reversed into a vehicle parked in the forecourt of Windsor Motors, Bray, Co. Wicklow before he drove to Aras An Uachtaráin. The court was told that extensive damage was caused to the vehicle. In total, €60,000 worth of damage was caused, not including the damage to the vehicle in the forecourt. O'Callaghan was arrested and was initially deemed unfit for interview. When he was later interviewed, he said he 'just lost the head and felt highly psychotic'. Gda McCarthy told the court that O'Callaghan was cooperative with gardai and entered an early guilty plea. She agreed with John Berry SC, defending, that emails were found on O'Callaghan's phone, which indicated he had a paranoid delusion that his food had been spiked and he had been poisoned for three years. It was further accepted that after O'Callaghan was charged, gardai objected to bail. He was assessed by Cloverhill Prison's psychological team and arrangements were made for him to be treated as an involuntary in-patient at a psychiatric facility in Dublin. O'Callaghan was later granted bail in October, having spent three months in custody. It was further accepted that O'Callaghan has agreed that information can be given to gardai if he stops his treatment or takes illicit substances, and gardai have been in recent contact with his father. Mr Berry told the court his client had been emailing the President, adding that his client was not emailing the Taoiseach or the Minister for Housing. Defence counsel said his client has a long work history, most recently as a kitchen porter. He said it was unrealistic for his client to repay the cost of damages due to his low income. A number of reports were handed to the court along with a letter from O'Callaghan's father. Mr Berry asked the court to take into account his client's psychiatric difficulties, which were aggravated by his voluntary abuse of illicit substances. Counsel outlined that the report indicates a treatment plan for his client with O'Callaghan's father to contact the relevant services if his son relapses. He asked the court not to impose an immediate custodial sentence. Judge Nolan previously noted that O'Callaghan would require supervision. He added that the Probation Service is 'a State authority with statutory power', noting that the court didn't want to 'place these burdens' of supervision on O'Callaghan's father or psychiatric services.
