Latest news with #MicheálMartin
Irish Examiner
3 hours ago
- Politics
- Irish Examiner
Taoiseach hits back at US ambassador's 'vat of Guinness' comments over Occupied Territories Bill
Taoiseach Micheál Martin has hit back at claims from a senior Trump administration figure that the Government "fell into a vat of Guinness" when drawing up the Occupied Territories Bill. US ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee had posted on social media that Ireland should "sober up" and apologise to Israel for the bill's passage through the Oireachtas. "Did the Irish fall into a vat of Guinness and propose something so stupid that it would be attributed to act of diplomatic intoxication?" Mr Huckabee said in the post. "It will harm Arabs as much as Israelis. Sober up Ireland! Call [the Israel foreign ministry] and say you're sorry!" Trade ban The bill will ban the trade of goods with illegal Israeli settlements on Palestinian land. The Government said there is a narrow legal basis, based on an advisory opinion from the UN's top court, to ban the trade of goods with illegal Israeli settlements. The Government has said this is being done to comply with the International Court of Justice, which said last year that countries should "take steps to prevent trade or investment relations" that maintain illegal Israeli settlements on Palestinian land. In response, Mr Martin said that he "rejects the comments made by the ambassador". "The situation is very serious in Gaza, including an appalling loss of human life. Terrible war crimes are being committed," he said. "Ireland has consistently condemned Hamas and we equally condemn Israeli breaches of international humanitarian law in Gaza. The slaughter of children must stop. The slaughter of innocent civilians queuing for food must stop. What is going on is beyond any moral compass. "Ireland stands for peace and a political pathway forward." Mr Huckabee's criticism was echoed by others in the US, including the pro-Israel organisation, the Anti-Defamation League, which said it was "deeply concerned" about the bill, which will impact a small amount of trade. On Wednesday in the Seanad, Senator Michael McDowell roundly rejected all and any claims that the actions of Ireland, its Government, or its Houses of Parliament were motivated by, or amounted, to anti-semitism. Claims that Ireland's position reflected anti-semitism, which he defined as hatred of Jews, were grossly defamatory and untrue. 'Our position on Gaza is shared by many Israeli Jews, including a former Israeli prime minister.' Referring to the appearance of former deputy Alan Shatter at an Oireachtas committee, Mr McDowell cited a passage in a book written and published by Mr Shatter in which the former justice minister had claimed that an accusation of 'arrogance' made against him by Willie O'Dea in the Dáil was an 'anti-semitic' trope. 'It is simply defamatory and untrue to assert that Ireland's position on Gaza and recognition of the Palestinian state was motivated by anti-semitism or hatred of Jews.' Read More Crush at Gaza aid site kills at least 20, GHF blames armed agitators
Irish Times
3 hours ago
- Politics
- Irish Times
Starmer and Martin to hold talks following Labour revolt over plan to abort Troubles Legacy Act
Taoiseach Micheál Martin and Keir Starmer , Britain's prime minister, are expected to hold talks this week, possibly on Thursday, after the UK government's plan to scrap Legacy Act immunity for British soldiers and others sparked a revolt within the Labour Party. Mr Starmer's Labour government had promised to effectively repeal and redraft the Act, which was found by a court in the North to be incompatible with human rights law. The Irish Government had also lobbied hard against the Act, passed in 2023 by the Tories even though it was opposed by both sides of the community in the North. However, the plan to withdraw immunity, potentially opening up soldiers and others to prosecution for acts committed during the Troubles, has become politically controversial in Britain. READ MORE Alistair Carns, the Labour government's veterans minister and a former royal marine, has threatened to resign if British soldiers are stripped of immunity. Labour backbenchers in working-class constituencies with big numbers of former soldiers, notably in England's midlands and north, also expressed concern. That led to fears in Downing Street of yet another backbench rebellion should it press ahead. Revolts from the backbenches have already forced the UK government into embarrassing U-turns on welfare cuts. Some of the most restive Labour MPs are in constituencies where Nigel Farage's Reform UK is their biggest electoral threat. Labour MPs who spoke to The Irish Times speculated Downing Street could reverse the plan to replace the Act or water any redraft down to prevent a rebellion. [ Keir Starmer was quick to condemn Kneecap, but strangely silent on Moygashel Opens in new window ] Colum Eastwood, SDLP MP for Foyle in Derry, challenged Mr Starmer over the issue at prime minister's questions in the House of Commons on Wednesday. He said the prime minister had gone to the North to meet victims' families and 'looked people in the eye and promised them that no murderer will be immune from prosecution'. He asked Mr Starmer to 'recommit' to the repeal plan. The prime minister responded: 'Can I begin by saying I have a profound respect and debt to our veterans who served' in the North. This prompted exasperation from Tory benches. One MP could be heard exclaiming: 'For f**k sake.' The prime minister did not directly respond to Mr Eastwood's exhortation to recommit, although he repeatedly referred to it as the 'failed Legacy Act' and the promise of immunity as 'false'. [ 'Worst of any prime minister': Ten moments that defined Labour's first year in power in the UK Opens in new window ] He also said, however, that veterans would be protected from 'unjustified persecution'. Officials were working on plans for Mr Martin and Mr Starmer to speak on Thursday or later in the week if necessary. An Irish government source said engagement is ongoing and the Government's priority is to assist victims and families. If the UK government backtracks on its plan, however, officials speculated it would cause friction between the two governments.
BreakingNews.ie
3 hours ago
- Business
- BreakingNews.ie
Taoiseach expresses ‘full confidence' in An Post
The Taoiseach has expressed 'full confidence' in An Post, adding that Cabinet has had no discussion about the organisation 'being on the brink'. It comes after reports claimed that Arts Minister Patrick O'Donovan told Cabinet colleagues that the postal service would have seen a 'substantial loss' last year without revenue generated by general and European election post. Advertisement An Post chief executive David McRedmond described the reports as 'utter garbage' and said the company is 'performing extremely well'. An Post chief executive David McRedmond (Niall Carson/PA) On Wednesday, Taoiseach Micheál Martin expressed confidence in Mr McRedmond and the board of An Post. Mr Martin said he could understand the chief executive's 'anger and annoyance' over the reports on the company's accounts, adding: 'What happened was wrong.' He told reporters: 'I'm not apportioning blame anywhere, I simply do not know.' Advertisement However, he said: 'There was no discussion about An Post being on the brink or anything like that. 'The company turned a profit last year and had improved its situation significantly from the previous year.' Mr Martin described An Post as a 'very effective company' that under Mr McRedmond's leadership had 'adapted very well to changing trends' in mail, postage and packages. He told reporters: 'In terms of the core business, the company has been very resilient in the face of fairly fundamental change of behaviour. Advertisement 'There will be challenges ahead, and (the) importance is to be able to identify changing behaviours and changing trends, and then position the company to deal with that.' Mr Martin said the overall picture for the company was 'better this year than last year'. Earlier, Mr O'Donovan said he is confident about the future of An Post, describing the company as 'viable and profitable'. Arts Minister Patrick O'Donovan (Niall Carson/PA) Mr O'Donovan presented the postal service's annual report to Cabinet on Tuesday. Advertisement Following claims that An Post is in a 'dire financial situation', Mr O'Donovan said that the postal service has been transformed in recent years under the leadership of Mr McRedmond. Mr O'Donovan said: 'The issue here is quite actually extraordinary. A set of accounts was brought forward by me yesterday to the Cabinet meeting, and I'm not going to breach Cabinet confidentialities because I'm constitutionally prevented from doing that, as is everybody else. 'But obviously somebody decided that that wasn't going to be the case.' Mr O'Donovan told RTÉ's Today with Claire Byrne programme that An Post has returned to profit following some challenging years. Advertisement 'One of the things that has been conflated as well in some of the media reports, which isn't helpful either, and I think David McRedmond set the record straight, as people are conflating An Post with the independent postmasters. 'To be quite honest about it, it is showing, particularly from some politicians, a lack of understanding of what An Post is and a lack of understanding of what an independent contractor who works for An Post is.' Mr O'Donovan added: 'But how would a nameless minister or alleged nameless minister or source or whatever, would conflate that into saying that the situation is dire. I don't know how they would come up with that.' Speaking to RTÉ Radio 1, Mr McRedmond said he was 'absolutely furious' by the claims. 'That report is utter garbage. I'm here in Italy, on my holidays, I'm absolutely furious to read something like that,' he said. 'The company presented its results. The results were presented to Cabinet yesterday. They showed the highest revenue we've ever had, over a billion revenues for the first time. 'They showed that we grew our earnings from €38 million to €55 million. 'They showed that our net profit was at 10 million. The company is performing extremely well. 'We've got the highest level of parcel growth of any postal operation in Europe. So I just don't understand it.' He rejected claims that without profits generated from last year's general and European elections, it would have made a substantial loss. 'It's just simply not true, and it's not how companies work. Yes, we got a big boost in the elections last year, but if it wasn't the elections, it would be something else, and with the elections, we've huge costs with them,' he added. 'It was irresponsible leak from a Government minister, which is wholly unacceptable. 'These are not the actions of a responsible shareholder. The company is doing really well.' He also rejected claims that cash reserves have fallen below one million euros. 'We have at the end of the year with 38 million cash reserves, and this year, so far this year, we are performing well ahead of our budget, and our budget for this year is to beat last year. 'I'm talking to Government about it. I hope there's just some big misunderstanding somewhere, and the company, as I say, is doing really well.'
Irish Post
7 hours ago
- Health
- Irish Post
Ireland delays cancer warning label for alcohol
IRELAND'S plan to become the first country in Europe to introduce cancer warning labels on alcohol has been delayed. This delay is widely attributed to intense lobbying by the drinks industry and fears of trade retaliation from the United States. The labelling rules, set to take effect in May 2026 under the Public Health (Alcohol) Act 2018, would have required alcohol products sold in Ireland to carry clear warnings about their links to cancer and liver disease. Now, government officials have confirmed the measure will be pushed back by at least three years. The delay marks a stark reversal from the policy's original champions, Tánaiste Simon Harris and Taoiseach Micheál Martin. Harris, who spearheaded the legislation during his time as health minister, recently announced the postponement. Alcohol Action Ireland, a leading campaign group, described the move as a 'political surrender' that prioritises corporate interests over public health. Research published in the British Medical Journal has found Ireland to have the highest level of alcohol industry influence in government across five key areas, including policy development and political ties. Industry arguments against the labelling have ranged from claims that the science is too complex to explain on a label to assertions that such warnings are misleading or bad for business. Despite this, the scientific consensus is clear. Alcohol has been classified as a Group 1 carcinogen by the World Health Organisation since 1988, which is the same category shared by tobacco and asbestos. It is strongly linked to multiple cancers, including breast, liver and colorectal cancer, even at low levels of consumption. In recent weeks, Irish officials have also voiced concerns that the cancer warnings could trigger US trade tariffs, especially if Donald Trump returns to power and revives threats of duties on EU goods. The United States is the largest export market for many Irish drink producers, particularly for brands like Jameson. Irish ministers have warned that acting unilaterally could put the industry at risk. Enterprise Minister Peter Burke and others have argued that Ireland should instead wait for an EU-wide approach. However, no such proposal currently exists. The European Commission has already ruled that Ireland's alcohol labelling plans are legal and compatible with the single market. The labels were to include simple messages: that alcohol causes cancer and liver disease, a pregnancy warning graphic and a link to the HSE's website. According to the HSE, only 38 percent of Irish adults are aware that alcohol can cause cancer. Every day, three people in Ireland are diagnosed with alcohol-related cancer, and up to 15 babies are born with foetal alcohol spectrum disorders. Yet most people do not associate these harms with alcohol. Taoiseach Micheál Martin, once lauded for leading Ireland's historic indoor smoking ban in 2004, is now facing calls to show similar resolve in the face of alcohol industry opposition. More than 85 organisations, coordinated by Alcohol Action Ireland, are urging the government to stick to the original timeline and resist pressure to water down or delay the law. Critics warn that postponing labelling may be politically convenient, but it comes at a cost—one paid in public health. They argue that consumers have a basic right to know the risks associated with what they consume and that laws passed through the democratic process should not be quietly undone by industry influence. While warning labels won't solve Ireland's alcohol problem overnight, public health experts say they are a critical first step.
CNN
8 hours ago
- Business
- CNN
US envoy to Israel tells Ireland to ‘sober up' over occupied Palestinian territories bill
Ireland appears closer to passing a bill that will ban trade with illegal Israeli settlements in occupied territories in the West Bank, sparking sharp criticism from US officials who have signaled the move could harm Dublin's relationship with Washington. US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee accused Ireland of 'diplomatic intoxication' Tuesday in a sharp rebuke of the draft legislation, invoking a derogatory stereotype of the Irish people. 'Did the Irish fall into a vat of Guinness & propose something so stupid that it would be attributed to act of diplomatic intoxication? It will harm Arabs as much as Israelis. Sober up Ireland!,' Huckabee said in a post on X. Huckabee's comment comes after the Irish Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade held pre-legislative scrutiny meetings this week to discuss the bill, which has drawn support from pro-Palestinian lawmakers and campaigners and criticism from several Jewish organizations and some in the Jewish community. CNN has reached out to the Irish Foreign Ministry for comment on Huckabee's post. In an apparent attempt to deflect criticism, Micheál Martin, the Taoiseach, or prime minister, has said enacting the bill would be 'largely symbolic,' as it aims to apply pressure on Israel to end the war in Gaza. 'This is one element of the government's approach to the devastating violence and the appalling humanitarian situation in Gaza and the West Bank,' Martin said in April. On Monday, the chair of the Jewish Representative Council of Ireland, Maurice Cohen, called the bill 'a performance of misguided effort.' 'It won't bring two states closer, but it might drive Jewish communities here in Ireland further into fear and isolation,' Cohen said. Republican Senator Lindsay Graham also weighed in on the bill, saying Tuesday that he hopes 'Ireland will reconsider their efforts to economically isolate Israel.' 'I do not believe these efforts would be well received in the United States and they certainly would not go unnoticed,' Graham said on X. If the legislation – Israeli Settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (Prohibition of Importation of Goods) Bill 2025 – passes in Ireland's Oireachtas, or parliament, it will mark the first time a European Union member state has enacted such a law. The bill was first tabled in 2018 and has regained momentum since Israel's highly destructive military campaign in Gaza following the Hamas attacks of October 7, 2023. More than 58,000 people have been killed in Gaza since the start of the war, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health. The International Court of Justice (ICJ) has said Israel's settlement policies and exploitation of natural resources in the occupied Palestinian territories breaches international law. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called the ICJ's ruling a 'decision of lies.' Solidarity with the Palestinian cause is longstanding across most of Irish society and politics, with many in Ireland identifying a shared historical experience of subjugation by an occupying state. Ireland became the first EU member state to call for Palestinian statehood in 1980, actualized in its formal recognition of the State of Palestine in May 2024. Israel closed its embassy in Dublin in December 2024, with Israel's Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar accusing Ireland of 'extreme anti-Israel policies.' Ireland has long rejected any accusation that it is anti-Israel. 'Ireland is pro-peace, pro-human rights and pro-international law,' then-PM Simon Harris said in response to the Israeli embassy closure. 'Ireland wants a two-state solution and for Israel and Palestine to live in peace and security. Ireland will always speak up for human rights and international law. Nothing will distract from that,' he said. CNN's Kathleen Magramo and Eugenia Yosef contributed reporting.
