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THE FOREIGN AFFAIRS Minister, Charlie Flanagan, is being criticised after Ireland abstained from a UN Human Rights Council vote on Gaza yesterday.
The vote on whether the Commission of Inquiry should be started to investigate Israel’s offensive was backed by 29 other countries.
Labour TDs, Michael McCarthy and Derek Nolan, have criticised the decision along with members of Fianna Fáil and Sinn Féin.
Attempts were made to contact Minister Flanagan for his reaction to the criticism but no reply has yet been received.
‘Shameful Act’
McCarthy said he was ”surprised to learn of the Government’s decision not to support an international inquiry into Israel’s actions in Gaza”.
Ireland was among 17 countries that abstained. The US was the only country to vote against the proposed inquiry.
Nolan said, “To condemn Israel is not to condone Hamas, and intermixing the two gives a false impression. It was open to Ireland to propose a separate motion concerning the indefensible actions of Hamas.”
Fianna Fáil’s Micheál Martin and Brendan Smith commented:
Ireland once had a proud tradition of strong, principled and independent foreign affairs policy. The decision to sit on our hands and abstain from what should have been a very clear position on this UN resolution is a dereliction of this country’s proud history in foreign and humanitarian affairs.
While the Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams described it as a “shameful act of political cowardice”.
The Israeli government is acting with impunity and the EU and the Irish government are failing to stand up to Israeli aggression.The statistics of death and destruction, and in particular the slaughter of women and children, has to be stopped.
“The government should move immediately to expel the Israeli ambassador in a clear message of condemnation of the actions of the Israeli government.”
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The committee did better than I thought they would. All Kelly was short of was having gold teeth and an platform shoes. And Tubridy defaulted to the “I’m a decent guy lead stray by a snake-oil salesman.” I hope we never have to see him again after today…ever!
@Robert Bradshaw: so what did the committee demonstrate that he did wrong in terms of the barter account and the tri partite agreement, i m interested to hear your views
@Liam O’Connor: At the very least he knowingly was part of a conspiracy to money launder tax payer funds.
Giving a falsified invoice to a third party – and agreeing to hide its true purpose – then refusing to speak up to perpetuate fraud on the taxpayer… that’s all demonstrably true.
Claiming he committed fraud cause his employer told him to isn’t a legal defense.
He was paid 10s of thousands of euro – which cost extra 10s of thousands because it was hidden via the barter account – for work he didn’t do: consultancy.
He then knew RTE was misstating his wages – and his manager was in cahoots with RTE to launder the money – and didn’t say boo until a public audit found it.
Here’s the definition of money laundering:
“Money laundering is the illegal process of hiding the origins of money obtained illegally by passing it through a complex system of banking transfers or other transactions”
Falsifying invoices to receive money, then hiding that money via barter accounts and offshoot companies – that’s what drug gangs do.
And also apparently our state media and its biggest star and his manager.
Scratch cards?
Sneakily, that’s how.
Our money. Give up the licence fee or go to prison…
Most CFOs are compete bluffers
have your say