Taoiseach Simon Harris has accused Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald of “throwing mud” and has denied misleading the Dáil in comments he made about the use of Irish airspace for the transport of weapons to Israel.
The Taoiseach told the Dáil in June that “no airport in Ireland or Irish sovereign airspace is being used to transport weapons to the conflict in the Middle East or any other war”.
However, a subsequent and ongoing Government investigation has confirmed that at least nine flights carrying weapons destined for Israel overflew Irish sovereign airspace.
The Challenge Group has been accused of transporting tonnes of military goods over Ireland, in a potential breach of Irish law. Since details of the flights appeared on the Ditch website at the start of September, the airline has been routing its cargo flights just outside of Irish sovereign airspace.
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Ms McDonald on Tuesday said Mr Harris needed to correct the Dáil record and that he and Tánaiste Micheál Martin should make a statement about the Israel-Gaza conflict to the Dáil with “an opportunity for questions and answers in respect of weapons of war passing through Irish airspace”.
She said Mr Harris may have spoken “unwittingly” but nonetheless it happened and “that has to be corrected”.
Minister for Public Expenditure Paschal Donohoe had earlier told the House that permission for these flights to pass through Irish airspace was “neither sought nor granted” but Ms McDonald said “that doesn’t take from the fact it appears that this has in fact happened”.
Speaking later in New York, where he is attending the United Nations general assembly, the Taoiseach rejected the Dublin Central TD’s suggestion that he had misled the Dáil and accused Ms McDonald of “misleading people” and “throwing mud”
“In relation to the overflights, the Government of Ireland has never provided any permission for such an overflight to take place in terms of carrying munitions and therefore the Government wouldn’t have been in a position to inform the Dáil of such a flight. That position is quite clear,” the Fine Gael leader said.
“If Deputy McDonald wants to be disingenuous in relation to representing the Government’s position, I think it might be a stretch even for her because, let’s remember, the Irish Government and the people of Ireland have been steadfast in our support for Palestine.
“The idea that she would in any way, shape or form try to muddy the waters on Ireland’s position is extraordinarily disappointing, particularly at a time when I am here, the Tánaiste is here, the President is here, all standing up for Palestine, standing up for human rights. I’ll be meeting the president of Palestine, so while she is throwing mud, I am actually here trying to practically engage with the leader of Palestine.”
Mr Martin, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, described the Sinn Féin leader’s comments as “outrageous” and said “no permission was ever sought” for such flights and that he had made the same point previously.
The Fianna Fáil leader, who is also attending the UN event, spoke to reporters after US president Joe Biden delivered an address in which he called on nations to come together to address the growing conflicts across the Middle East. “I truly believe we’re at another inflection point in world history,” Mr Biden said. “The choices we make today will determine our future.”
The Tánaiste said it was clear to him from speaking with other foreign ministers that there was considerable anxiety about the unfolding conflicts across the Middle East, but that there were political realities in the US with an election looming and these were having a bearing on what was happening between Israel and Lebanon and in Gaza.
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