Ireland at odds with EU commissioner's statement on Palestine aid

Tánaiste Micheál Martin said that he had been “horrified” at the attacks seen in recent days.

EU commissioner Oliver Varhelyi said that all payments to Palestine would be immediately suspended, but the Irish Department of Foreign Affairs said that there is 'no legal basis for a unilateral decision of this kind by an individual commissioner'. Picture: Franc Zhurda/AP

The Irish Government has come out strongly against a suggestion that the European Commission would end development funding to Palestine, following comments made by Hungarian Commissioner Oliver Varhelyi.

In a post on X, formerly Twitter, Mr Varhelyi said that the EU would put €691m in development funding “under review” and that all payments to Palestine would be immediately suspended.