President Higgins correct to mention Gaza during Holocaust speech — Simon Harris

The Tánaiste said that individuals have a right to protest, but he believed President Higgins was 'very clear' in his speech

President Higgins makes his speech during the ceremony on the 80th Holocaust Memorial Day Commemoration 2025 held in the Mansion House Dublin. Picture: Maxwell’s 

President Michael D Higgins was correct to mention Gaza during his speech at a Holocaust commemoration event, Tánaiste Simon Harris has said.

Mr Harris said that it was “important” that President Higgins attended a Holocaust commemoration event in Dublin on Sunday, saying it was carried out with “great solemnity and dignity”.

The Tánaiste acknowledged that there was a protest at the event, with several people being removed from the event during President Higgin’s speech.

“The President was very clear in relation to specific issues regarding the Holocaust and his absolute condemnation of the horror, the murder of the Jewish people, but also I think rightly mentioning the situation in the Middle East. Also calling very much for hostages to be released,” Mr Harris said.

“I am conscious though that this is a very, very sensitive time and I don’t want to say anything to distract from that.” 

The Tánaiste added that this was due to it being the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz, saying that it was “really important” to keep the focus on that.

Mr Harris said that individuals have a right to protest, but he believed President Higgins was “very clear” in his speech.

“I think the President was very clear as is the government, as are the people of Ireland, in calling out the horrors of the Holocaust and making sure that we remember, we record that, that we acknowledge that each year.” 

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Taoiseach Micheál Martin will today attend a ceremony at Auschwitz to mark the 80th anniversary of the concentration camp’s liberation.

Mr Martin is set to join a number of other world leaders in Poland today for the ceremony, where further commitments to tackling antisemitism will be made.

“In recent years we have witnessed a shocking rise in antisemitism and Holocaust denial, both online and offline,” Mr Martin said, speaking ahead of the event.

“I take this issue very seriously, and the Government will continue to work at home and with international partners to tackle all forms of discrimination, including antisemitism.”