Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)

Most Irish people do not realise that the Central Bank of Ireland is involved in the sale of Israeli war bonds and will be horrified to learn that the Central Bank provides Israel with the permission or approval it needs to sell these war bonds throughout the European Union. No other European central bank provides this permission. It is given here, in Ireland, on the watch of the Government.

These bonds, to be clear, are used by Israel to raise the money to pay for the missiles, tanks, guns, drones and bombs it uses every day to slaughter tens of thousands of men, women and children in Gaza, lay hospitals, homes, schools and universities to rubble and terrorise the refugee population of Gaza. Israel does not hide the purpose of these bonds. It emphasises "the crucial role of Israel Bonds during this time of conflict and war". Israel openly invites people to invest in genocide.

The Sinn Féin Bill, to be voted on tonight, would enable the Government - the Minister for Finance - to prevent the Central Bank of Ireland giving these permissions or approvals to sell these bonds. It would force Israel to seek that permission from another country and, of course, it would then be for other countries to stand up and be counted and to say "No". Ireland would be clear, however, that it would not longer happen in our name through our Central Bank. It is a disgrace that the Government opposes this Bill.

Last night, the finance Minister, Deputy Paschal Donohoe, in a shameful speech, gave the water-weak, mealy-mouthed and baseless excuses for the Government's opposition to the legislation. The Minister stated that he is advised that the Bill might be judged inconsistent with EU law. That is bogus. We have over 20 pages of independent, robust legal opinion clearly stating that the Bill is compliant with Irish law, European law and international law.

The Minister, Deputy Donohoe, stated the Bill would step outside the EU financial services legislation. That is bogus. The Minister should know that Ireland is fully entitled under EU law to unilaterally restrict access to our financial services and that we are legally entitled to make that decision on public policy grounds, including pursuing our international law obligations. The Government has no sound legal advice on these matters and the Minister and Government scramble for cover and excuses not to act.

The Minister then went on to sound the alarm against Ireland acting unilaterally in prohibiting the Central Bank of Ireland from giving permissions to Israel to sell its war bonds. Of course, only the Central Bank of Ireland gives these permissions and approvals for the sale of Israeli war bonds so, by definition, the Irish Government must unilaterally remove these permissions and approvals. What the Taoiseach calls unilateral action is actually called leadership in defence of human rights.

The Government's reasons for opposing the Bill are exposed as bluff. The emperor has no clothes. It is precisely the tactic the Taoiseach has used to delay and hollow out the occupied territories Bill. Caithfidh an Rialtas an cead atá tugtha ag Banc Ceannais na hÉireann, a ligeann d’Iosrael a chuid bannaí den chinedhíothú a dhíol fud fad an Aontais Eorpaigh, a bhaint.

This is a moment for Ireland to take firm decisive action against Israel's genocide in Gaza, drop the Government's opposition to the Bill and vote tonight to end the permissions given to Israel by the Central Bank of Ireland to sell its genocide bonds.

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