TÁNAISTE AND FINE Gael leader Simon Harris has said it was “appropriate” that a “significant sanction” be placed on party councillor Punam Rane over comments she made last year about Jewish people and Israel at a Dublin City Council meeting.

The Journal reported earlier this week that Rane, who is a councillor for Kimmage-Rathmines, is to be suspended from all rights and privileges of party membership for a period of 18 months.

Asked to comment on the suspension, Harris said:

“The comments were unacceptable to me as Fine Gael leader [or] to be made by any Fine Gael representative.” 

Rane faced an immediate backlash after she claimed that the “entire US economy is ruled by the Jews, by Israel” at a Dublin City Council meeting last October.

One common antisemitic trope is to suggest that Jewish people run the world or control the media.

The comments came during a debate about a motion demanding that the Irish Government enact the Occupied Territories Bill, which would ban trade between Ireland and illegal Israeli settlements in Palestine.

Rane was the last councillor to make a statement during the debate and claimed that it was evident the United States is no longer the global “superpower” it once was as the country “hasn’t taken a stance” against Israel’s offensive in Gaza.

She said: “America should’ve taken a stance. But how many of you know that the entire US economy today is ruled by the Jews, by Israel. They will never be able to take a stance.”

Rane claimed that the US’ economy and the US election would be at stake if Washington chose to intervene with Israel’s offensive.

The following morning, Rane apologised for her comments on X. 

Rane wrote: “I completely withdraw my comments made at last night’s city council meeting in relation to a motion on the Occupied Territories Bill. It was wrong and I fully apologise for it.”

The government has recently signed up to the IHRA working definition of antisemitism. Asked today if Rane’s comments fall into that bracket definition of antisemitism, Harris said: “I’d have to give more consideration to whether it fell short of those standards.”

Harris said the process was independent of him and tool a little longer than he would have liked. However, he added that it is always important “to get these things right in terms of due process and the likes”.

In a statement this week, the party said the Fine Gael Hearing Committee had determined that “comments made by Councillor Punam Rane at a meeting of Dublin City Council in October 2024 amount to misconduct”.

Rane has been requested to formally withdraw her comments in writing to the Lord Mayor and to “include in that a repeat of her previous apology to members of the Jewish community”.

She has also been requested to undergo appropriate training. 

At the time, leader of Fine Gael Simon Harris condemned Rane’s comments as “offensive” and “entirely inappropriate”.

“The comments were utterly wrong, absolutely offensive, entirely inappropriate, and are fully condemned by me,” Harris said.

Rane’s comments were referred to the party’s disciplinary procedures committee for an alleged breach of the “party pledge to not express prejudiced, stereotyped or discriminatory views”.

The party has previously been criticised for its slow handling of the disciplinary process.

Fine Gael has informed Rane of the Hearing Committee’s determination.

The Journal has contacted Rane for comment.