Opposition requests ‘vote of conscience' in calls to stop Central Bank's role in sale of Israeli Bonds
The Central Bank of Ireland is the designated authority in relation to the sale of Israel Bonds in the EU.
Israel 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.
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.
Last month, a Sinn Féin bill which would have imposed restrictions securities on behalf of Israel was defeated after the Government voted against the draft legislation.
On Wednesday, the Dail 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 has an obligations under the Genocide Convention to use all means likely to have a deterrent effect on those suspected of preparing genocide.
Speaking to reporters on Monday, Social Democrats TD Sinead 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 Sean Crowe said he believes the gap between the vote on the Sinn Féin Bill and this motion will given TDs "time to reflect".
Meanwhile, Tanaiste and Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Harris called on Israel to lift a blockade on aid into Gaza.
It comes after Israeli forces stopped a Gaza-bound aid boat and detained activists on board early on Monday, enforcing a longstanding blockade of the Palestinian territory.
Mr Harris said the vessel was an "unarmed civilian effort" to get food and medicine to the "starving people of Gaza" in the midst of "devastation and catastrophic humanitarian conditions".
He added: "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.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Journal
4 hours ago
- The Journal
Remains of three Israeli hostages recovered from Gaza
THE ISRAELI MILITARY has said it has recovered the remains of three hostages held in the Gaza Strip. The military identified the remains as those of Yonatan Samerano, 21; Ofra Keidar, 70; and Shay Levinson, 19. All three were killed during Hamas's October 7, 2023, attack into Israel. The militant group is still holding 50 hostages, with less than half of them believed to be alive. The military did not provide any details about the recovery operation, and it is unclear if an air strike which killed four Palestinians was related to it. 'The campaign to return the hostages continues consistently and is happening alongside the campaign against Iran,' Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a statement. Kobi Samerano said in a Facebook post that his son's remains were returned on what would have been Yonatan's 23rd birthday. Hamas-led militants killed some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducted 251 people in the October 7 attack. More than half the hostages have been returned in ceasefire agreements or other deals, eight have been rescued alive and Israeli forces have recovered dozens of bodies. Advertisement Israel's retaliatory offensive has killed more than 55,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza's Health Ministry, which has said women and children make up more than half of the dead. It does not distinguish between civilians and combatants. Four people were killed on Sunday in an air strike in the built-up Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza, according to Al-Awda Hospital, where the bodies were brought. It said another 22 people were injured while waiting for aid trucks. Palestinian witnesses and health officials say Israeli forces have repeatedly opened fire on crowds seeking desperately needed food, killing hundreds of people in recent weeks. The military says it has fired warning shots at people it said approached its forces in a suspicious manner. The Hostages Families Forum, the main organisation representing families of the hostages, has repeatedly called for a deal to release the remaining captives. 'Particularly against the backdrop of current military developments and the significant achievements in Iran, we want to emphasise that bringing back the remaining 50 hostages is the key to achieving any sort of victory,' it said in a statement on Sunday. Hamas has said it will only release the remaining hostages in return for more Palestinian prisoners, a lasting ceasefire and an Israeli withdrawal from Gaza. Netanyahu has rejected those terms, saying Israel will continue the war until all the hostages are returned and Hamas is defeated or disarmed and sent into exile. Even then, he has said Israel will maintain lasting control over Gaza and facilitate what he refers to as the voluntary emigration of much of its population, plans the Palestinians and others view as forcible expulsion. Separately, World Central Kitchen, the charity run by celebrity chef Jose Andres, said it had resumed the distribution of hot meals in Gaza for the first time in six weeks after shutting down because of Israel's blockade, which was loosened last month amid fears of famine.
Irish Examiner
5 hours ago
- Irish Examiner
15 Irish citizens being evacuated from Israel, Tánaiste says
15 Irish citizens are being evacuated from Israel amid the escalating conflict with Iran, Tánaiste Simon Harris has confirmed. The Government is working to evacuate a number of citizens from Israel and Iran, with approximately 200 based in the former and 29 in the latter. 'Right now there is an evacuation underway of 15 Irish citizens and their dependents, so 15 in total,' Mr Harris said. 'We've been working closely with EU counterparts in relation to that, and I hope to be in a position to issue further details on that shortly.' When the evacuation is complete, Mr Harris said the Government will have dealt with all current evacuation requests for Israel. The Tánaiste confirmed there were a number of citizens in Iran who wished to be evacuated, with work underway to try and get them out of the country. 'It's not easy work as you can imagine, the airspace is closed and the only way of being evacuated is over land border with often long journeys that are not without difficulty and not without danger,' Mr Harris said. The Fine Gael leader said the actions of the US President overnight had 'added a new layer of complexity and volatility to an already very dangerous tinderbox'. He added there is a 'real risk of spillover' in the conflict that could see it escalate into a further regional war. 'There is a real risk, by either a miscalculation or by intent, that already a very dangerous conflict spreads between the two countries involved,' Mr Harris said. Mr Harris also raised concerns about the possibility of oil routes being shut down, which would be a 'further economic worry'. The Tánaiste also confirmed his call with the Iranian deputy foreign minister, Majid Takht-Ravanchi, saying he was 'full of anger' over the attacks by Israel and the US. Mr Harris said Mr Takht-Ravanchi outlined the Iranian position that the US and Israel would need to 'learn lessons and pay a price'. He said the Government would continue to push for negotiations to end the war, adding there was 'no alternative' to diplomacy. It comes ahead of a meeting of EU foreign ministers on Monday, with discussions set to be dominated by the escalating war between Israel and Iran. Urgent need to 'de-escalate' tensions There is an urgent need to 'de-escalate' tensions in the Middle East after the US carried out strikes against Iran, Taoiseach Micheál Martin has said. Mr Martin called on 'all actors' in the Middle East to de-escalate the situation. "Diplomacy and dialogue is ultimately the only way to resolve these issues. Iran should commit not to develop nuclear weapons and disavow its nuclear and uranium enrichment programme,' Mr Martin said. "Nuclear safety is an issue here. Modern warfare is very destructive. It is civilians who ultimately suffer and that is why we need an end to these wars and an end to conflict.' Speaking to RTÉ, Mr Martin said the world should not forget about 'the catastrophe that is still unfolding in Gaza' while the war between Israel and Iran is ongoing. This satellite image provided by Maxar Technologies shows damage at the Fordo enrichment facility in Iran after U.S. strikes, Sunday, June 22, 2025. Picture: Maxar Technologies via AP Tánaiste Simon Harris said he was "closely monitoring" the situation in Iran after the overnight strikes by the US. It is understood that Mr Harris has spoken with the Iranian deputy foreign minister, Majid Takht-Ravanchi, after the overnight attacks. The call took place due to a request from Iran's government, with similar calls also taking place between Iranian officials and counterparts in Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Egypt in recent days. Mr Harris was said to have expressed 'grave concern' at the overnight escalation, while adding it was important Iran engaged in formal talks to de-escalate the conflict. "The risk of an extremely dangerous spiral of escalation in relation to Iran and Israel is now more real and more likely than ever before," Mr Harris said. "There is an urgent need for de-escalation, dialogue and diplomacy." Mr Harris said: "Europe, including Ireland, is fully united in the clear view that Iran should not be allowed to possess nuclear weapons. "The way to address this was always through a negotiated solution. Any alternative to that is simply too dangerous for civilians, for the Middle East region and for global security." He added that discussions would be taking place among EU foreign ministers in the hours ahead to consider "the next steps Europe can usefully play to support de-escalation". Mr Harris added he is aware of the large contingent of Irish peacekeepers in Southern Lebanon, saying he is receiving regular updates from the chief of staff of the Defence Forces. Mr Harris said the US President's actions have resulted in an 'extraordinarily dangerous escalation of a conflict that could already be described as a tinderbox'. 'I need to be very clear and very blunt. We're now entering a moment of particular danger, because I think the chances now of a spiral of escalation are more likely than ever before,' Mr Harris said, speaking on RTÉ Radio's This Week. 'There is a real chance of the international community losing all control of this very, very volatile conflict.' Asked if international law norms have gone out the window, Mr Harris said it was 'sadly true'. 'The only way this will be resolved and the only way really people can step back from the brink now is through de-escalation, diplomacy and dialogue,' Mr Harris said. On Irish citizens seeking to leave Iran, Mr Harris said it was an 'ongoing situation' but he would have a significant update later on Sunday.
Extra.ie
8 hours ago
- Extra.ie
Backlash at Jack Chambers's purge to fund fast-track infrastructure projects
Public Expenditure Minister Jack Chambers is facing a backlash from Cabinet colleagues over a spending 'purge' to fund an expansion of housing and water infrastructure, has learned. Sources this weekend said ministers are growing increasingly rebellious over Mr Chambers's inter-departmental review of Government spending. One minister told 'It's a purge – there is no other way to describe it. This is all about funding a big-bang style announcement on housing and water in the autumn.' Jack Chambers. Pic: Sam Boal/Collins Photos Mr Chambers is heading the new Accelerating Infrastructure Taskforce, made up of experts from key State agencies, including Uisce Éireann, the ESB, and Transport Infrastructure Ireland. His remit will be to break down infrastructure barriers that block the delivery of housing and public projects, and to secure the significant extra funding required. The Central Bank has said an additional €7bn is needed if the Government is to deliver an average of 54,000 new homes a year. The Central Bank of Ireland. Pic: 4H4 PH/Shutterstock Meanwhile, Uisce Éireann has warned it will need €12.3bn over the next five years to upgrade our leaking water infrastructure. In an indication of the scale of the funding challenge, one minister commented that the €13bn Apple tax windfall 'is only a downpayment on what is required'. They told 'The cost is going to be incredible. It's all about gathering up as much as can be found for housing, water, ESB, power and transport; these are the only things that matter. If it ruffles a few feathers, that's unfortunate.' Pic:Referring to mounting public and political dissatisfaction over missed housing targets, the Cabinet source said: 'We are in last throw-of-the-dice country. There is an updated housing plan, a Summer Economic Statement, a budget and a revised National Development Plan. It's like the bad old days. The minister [Chambers] ' is looking for money everywhere.' However, not all of Mr Chambers's Cabinet colleagues are happy with the impact his spending 'purge' is having on their own coffers. One senior Government source said: 'There is a huge tightening coming. Cutback time is on the way, is the message.' Pic: Sam Boal/Collins Photos The source said there have been 'wars in [the departments of] Health, in Education, in Higher Education, in Culture' over the spending cutbacks, with particular tensions between Mr Chambers and the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media over the sixmonth extension of the Basic Income for the Arts pilot scheme. One senior Coalition source told 'There was fur and hair flying. The Gradgrinds in the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform wanted to abolish it; [but] the minister, Patrick O'Donovan dug in; hence the artists got a six-month stay of execution.' They added: 'There will be a lot more yelping before we get to the final allocations of cash in July.' Patrick O'Donovan. Pic: Gareth Chaney/Collins Photos But apart from housing, political concern is growing over the long-term consequences of the 37% growth in Government spending since 2021. One minister warned: 'The truth is there's been a lot of waste. The intent of Mr Chambers and Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe is to ensure the money goes on transport, housing, water and power. 'We have to spend on political necessities – no more luxuries.' Fianna Fáil TD and Minister for State Niall Collins. Pic: Leah Farrell/ Fianna Fáil TD and Minister for State Niall Collins added: 'The time to make tough, durable decisions for the common good is now. 'This Government is acutely aware of the need to chart new, more effective forms of governance and will not be deflected from this challenge.' Ministers also remain divided on the ability of Housing Minister James Browne to manage the accelerating accommodation crisis. One senior Government figure noted: 'No one knows who is running anything really. Technically, James Browne is in charge of Housing, but really, it is the Taoiseach [Micheál Martin] and Jack Chambers. It's a triumvirate, with Fine Gael being on the sidelines.' Another source added: 'It is utterly chaotic. Micheál is trying to run the department, but he doesn't know what is going on. James, who knows what is going on, can't fully run the department because Micheál and Jack Chambers are actually running it, but he can't say it… It's not an example of good governance.' However, some ministers were more supportive of Mr Browne. One Cabinet member said: 'He is evolving in the job. He inherited a desert. His problem is he can't bluff, but possibly after [former housing minister] Darragh O'Brien, that's a bonus.' Another source added: 'He is delivering at an increasing pace. RPZ [the move to make every county in the country a Rent Pressure Zone] was never going to have a happy ending. He managed it as best anyone could.' The source said the choice of former HSE boss Paul Reid as chair of the new planning authority to replace An Bord Pleanála was 'clever? Small things first.'
