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Irish Examiner
7 hours ago
- Business
- Irish Examiner
Government to withhold support for motion to end Central Bank facilitation of Israeli war bonds
The Government will not be supporting a cross-party motion demanding the Central Bank end the facilitation of Israeli war bonds and will instead table its own counter motion. Four opposition parties have come together to back the motion and have called on Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael to provide the Government TDs with a free vote when it comes before the Dáil on Wednesday. The Social Democrats, Sinn Féin, Labour and People Before Profit-Solidarity have united behind the motion that demands that the Government enact emergency legislation to explicitly force the Central Bank to stop facilitating the sale of Israeli bonds. It also calls on the coalition to advise the bank that "by acting as the enabling cog in Israel's fundraising machine in the European Union it is putting the state at risk of a charge of complicity in genocide". The motion stresses that since October 2023 the bonds have been advertised as war bonds with the slogan 'stand with Israel – Israel is at war'. The website marketing the bonds contains a video by Israeli President Isaac Herzog who lauds 'the crucial role of Israel bonds during this time of conflict and war". Last month, a similar Sinn Féin bill which sought to stop the Central Bank facilitating the sale of Israeli war bonds was defeated after the Government voted against the draft legislation. Sinn Féin TD Seán Crowe said the gap between the vote on the Sinn Féin Bill and this motion has given TDs 'time to reflect'. Mr Crowe asked: Is there anyone in Ireland comfortable with the fact that we're facilitating this blood money coming into our country and being spent on weapons that are killing men, women and children? Calling on the Government leaders to allow backbench TDs a vote of conscience, Social Democrats TD Sinéad Gibney said: 'We have failed as an international community to prevent a genocide from happening so now we have to do everything in our power to make sure that we stop it.' She added: 'We are urging the Government to allow a free vote, a vote of conscience, because we believe that this is something that many TDs will support if given the opportunity. 'And we absolutely urge the Government to support this motion.' Labour TD Duncan Smith said adopting the motion would send a "clear signal" that Ireland is "morally and ethically" against Israel's bombardment of Gaza and that "Irish people do not stand for the selling of Israeli war bonds". Humanitarian aid blockade Meanwhile, Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Harris has made an urgent call to end the blockade and allow humanitarian aid into Gaza. "Ireland has consistently called on Israel to lift its blockade and allow unimpeded access of humanitarian aid at scale into Gaza, in accordance with international law and humanitarian principles," Mr Harris said in a statement. "The UN and humanitarian organisations must be allowed to work independently and do their job. It is a shame on the world and international community that people are starving in Gaza." Praising activists aboard the Madleen, which was blocked by Israeli forces on route to Gaza, Mr Harris said: "The question we should be asking today is not a debate about the merits or not of the flotilla but how it has come to this; that the world is turning a blind eye to starving children in Gaza." Read More Watch: Surveillance footage shows crew on Gaza aid boat putting hands up as Israeli forces seize vessel
The Journal
8 hours ago
- Business
- The Journal
Opposition calls for ‘vote of conscience' on Israeli 'war bonds' ahead of cross-party motion
OPPOSITION PARTIES HAVE requested a free 'vote of conscience' on a motion calling on the Government to stop the Central Bank from facilitating the sale of Israeli State Bonds. The Central Bank of Ireland is the designated authority in relation to the sale of Israeli Bonds in the EU. Israeli State Bonds have been advertised as supporting the country's economy, and more recently, websites promoting the securities emphasise their role in supporting Israel's military operations in Gaza, leading some to dub them 'Israeli war bonds'. The Central Bank is responsible for assessing whether a prospectus for the offer of securities is in compliance with requirements of the EU Prospectus Regulation, with the authority saying approval should not be viewed as 'an endorsement of the issuer'. Protesters have demonstrated outside the Central Bank and called for legislation that would give Ireland the power to refuse the sale of Israeli 'war bonds' over human rights concerns. Advertisement Last month, a Sinn Féin bill which sought to stop the Irish Central Bank facilitating the sale of Israeli 'war bonds' was defeated after the Government voted against the draft legislation. On Wednesday, the Dáil will vote on a motion on the matter brought by a number of opposition parties during the Social Democrats' time. The motion says the bonds are intended to fund the war in Gaza and argues Ireland ha obligations under the Genocide Convention to use all means likely to have a deterrent effect on those suspected of preparing genocide. Speaking to reporters today, Social Democrats TD Sinéad Gibney said: 'We have failed as an international community to prevent a genocide from happening so now we have to do everything in our power to make sure that we stop it.' She added: 'We are urging the Government to allow a free vote, a vote of conscience, because we believe that this is something that many TDs will support if given the opportunity. 'And we absolutely urge the Government to support this motion.' Sinn Féin TD Seán Crowe said he believes the gap between the vote on the Sinn Féin Bill and this motion will give TDs 'time to reflect'.
RTÉ News
10 hours ago
- Politics
- RTÉ News
Opposition seek free Government vote on sale of Israeli bonds
Four opposition parties have called on Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael TDs to be given a free vote on an upcoming Dáil motion which seeks to prevent the Irish Central Bank from facilitating the sale of Israeli bonds. A cross-party motion will be brought forward on Wednesday by the Social Democrats, which is being backed by Sinn Fein, Labour and People Before Profit / Solidarity. Speaking at Leinster House today, Social Democrats deputy Sinéad Gibney said that Government TDs should be allowed to vote with their conscience, saying she believed such a motion would have a "domino effect" and other countries will adopt a similar stance. She said it's the "time and moment to stand up" as the bonds are being used by the Israeli government to buy "bullets and bombs to kill people." Sinn Féin deputy Seán Crowe said his party backed the Social Democrats plan, after bringing a similar motion to the floor of the Dáil last month. He said that things are getting worse in Gaza "every week", even though at times it seemed impossible for such a scenario to be possible. People Before Profit TD Paul Murphy accused the Israeli government of "using access to humanitarian aid as a weapon of war", adding that its navy had "kidnapped" pro-Palestinian activists overnight on the freedom flotilla which was attempting to bring desperately needed supplies to Gaza. He said that there "must be no complicity in this genocide" by the Irish nation, and he said the Irish government must ensure that the Central Bank is not "facilitating this genocide." Labour whip Duncan Smith said adopting the motion would send a "clear signal" that Ireland refuses "morally and ethically" to stand-over war bonds. He said he met members of Human Rights Watch last week who told him that while the Irish government may be doing more than other States on Gaza, "the bar is so low." Deputy Smith also criticised the Coalition for saying it will work with the Opposition when constructive motions are put forward, but then goes on to block them.
