Taoiseach and Sinn Féin clash over bill to block Central Bank from buying Israeli bonds

Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald said the Finance Minister's speech was 'shameful' and 'gave the water-weak mealy-mouthed and baseless excuses for the Government's opposition to the legislation'. Picture: xx/PA

The Taoiseach and Sinn Féin leader have clashed over a bill which would ban the Central Bank from purchasing Israeli bonds.

Sinn Féin had brought a bill to the Dáil on Tuesday, with the debate interrupted as one man was arrested during a protest in the Dáil visitors' gallery. Finance minister Paschal Donohoe had been speaking when the large group began to chant, wave signs and flags, and bang on the safety glass.

Leinster House ushers were joined by gardaí as they attempted to clear the group who chanted "shame", "stop the genocide" and "free free Palestine". The disruption lasted several minutes with one man being arrested. The group continued their protest outside the gates of Leinster House.

Speaking during Wednesday's Leaders' Questions in the Dáil, Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald said the Finance Minister's speech was "shameful" and "gave the water-weak mealy-mouthed and baseless excuses for the Government's opposition to the legislation".

"The Minister stated that he is advised that the Bill might be judged inconsistent with EU law. That is bogus. 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 added.

The Minister should know that Ireland is fully entitled under EU law to unilaterally restrict access to our financial services and that we are legally entitled to make that decision on public-policy grounds, including pursuing our international law obligations. So Government has no sound legal advice on these matters.

"The Government's reasons for opposing the Bill are exposed as bluff. The emperor has no clothes. It is precisely the tactic the Taoiseach has used to delay and hollow out the Occupied Territories Bill."

In response, Taoiseach Micheál Martin accused Sinn Féin of "trying to drive a wedge" and of "bandying" words "such as facilitate and complicit in genocide which are false".

"The latest now is this issue in terms of the Central Bank's role in issuing prospectuses. The Deputy and I know that the Central Bank does not approve and does not issue or sell, or oversee the sale of, Israeli bonds. The Deputy knows that, but the truth does not matter in the situation."

The clashes followed a debate on a Labour motion calling for Ireland to push for an emergency session of the UN General Assembly and to establish a peacekeeping force in Gaza.

In response to that motion, Tánaiste Simon Harris said he considered the request for a UN session "to be a constructive request". He said a mechanism called the Uniting For Peace resolution to which the Labour motion refers to, dates from the time of the Korean War in 1950.

"The reality is that only once, in 70 years, back in 1956, has the resolution been used to establish a peacekeeping force. This was under very specific circumstances at the time, in which all the parties and the key members of the Security Council were in agreement. Sadly, similar circumstances do not exist today."