News

The government has now received legal advice from the Attorney General and should pass the Occupied Territories Bill, and must now do so without delay, according to Social Democrats foreign affairs spokesperson Patricia Stephenson. Senator Stephenson said: “At the Business Committee today, Government Chief Whip Mary Butler said that updated advice from the Attorney General […]

Today marks the fourth anniversary of Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine – another grim milestone in this devastating conflict, according to Social Democrats foreign affairs spokesperson Patricia Stephenson. Senator Stephenson said: “Four years into Russia’s brutal invasion, Ukrainians are facing one of their harshest winters in recent memory. Temperatures have fallen below minus 20 degrees […]

The thousands of peaceful protestors arrested and charged for supporting Palestine Action must have their names cleared after the group’s victory in the High Court, according to Social Democrats foreign affairs spokesperson Patricia Stephenson Senator Stephenson said: “Palestine Action should never have been proscribed as a terrorist group in the first place – the court’s […]

UEFA must read the room and ban Israel from taking part in its competitions, according to Social Democrats sports spokesperson Sinéad Gibney and foreign affairs spokesperson Patricia Stephenson. Deputy Gibney said: “Our national team players, elite athletes at the pinnacle of their career, have been put in a very difficult position after they were drawn […]

Ireland is failing its responsibilities to uphold international law by refusing to progress the Occupied Territories Bill, according to Social Democrats foreign affairs spokesperson Patricia Stephenson. Senator Stephenson said: “On Tuesday, Israeli Energy Minister Eli Cohen said that new measures to expand the country’s control of the occupied West Bank in Palestine amounts to ‘de […]

Minister for Foreign Affairs Helen McEntee must immediately intervene in the case of Irish man Seamus Culleton’s detention by ICE in the US, according to Social Democrats foreign affairs spokesperson Patricia Stephenson. Senator Stephenson said: “Seamus Culleton has been in ICE detention in the US since September of last year and has been subject to […]

Reports that ICE deportation flights carrying Palestinians to Isreal are using Shannon Airport to refuel are deeply disturbing, according to Social Democrats foreign affairs spokesperson Patricia Stephenson. Senator Stephenson said: “Details of these deportations describe Palestinians as having their ankles shackled as they are flown across the world to be abandoned in an apartheid state. […]

The government is acting as if there is a ceasefire in Gaza despite Israel’s ongoing killing of innocent Palestinians, according to Social Democrats foreign affairs spokesperson Patricia Stephenson. Senator Stephenson said: “Israel continues to murder with impunity while European leaders talk about the progress of the Gaza peace agreement. “There is no peace; last night, […]

The government’s failure to explicitly rule out the prospect of Ireland joining President Trump’s sinister Board of Peace is difficult to comprehend, according to Social Democrats foreign affairs spokesperson Patricia Stephenson. Senator Stephenson said: “Donald Trump’s Board of Peace was initially billed as a body that would oversee governance and reconstruction in Gaza – even […]

We are clearly through the looking glass when it comes to the Trump administration The EU must have a strong and united response to threats from US President Donald Trump that risk unravelling the trade deal between the EU and the United States, according to Social Democrats Foreign Affairs spokesperson Patricia Stephenson. Senator Stephenson said: […]