Richard Boyd Barrett demands halt to Israeli war bonds at Central Bank
Richard Boyd Barrett challenged the government over the Irish Central Bank's sale of Israeli war bonds and pressed for concrete action, arguing continued sales make Ireland complicit in attacks on Gaza and the West Bank. He also raised concerns about US messaging after missile attacks on Yemen and its effect on European defence spending.
Richard Boyd Barrett asked whether the government will stop facilitating the sale of Israeli war bonds through the Irish Central Bank, describing it as "an absolute outrage." He told ministers that while these bonds continue to be sold, Ireland is complicit in financing what he called the horror being visited on the people of Gaza.
He noted the Taoiseach has condemned attacks resumed against the people of Gaza and ongoing attacks on the West Bank but does not call the action genocide. He criticised European partners for refusing to mention Israel's role while horrific attacks are taking place and pressed the government to do more than issue condemnations.
Boyd Barrett referenced a tweet thread by Geoffrey Goldberg from the Atlantic confirming conversations with figures including Vance and Peter Hegeset in the Trump administration about missile attacks on Yemen. He highlighted a line from that messaging - that Europeans must invest in their defence - and asked whether the European Union is being pushed to ramp up military expenditure by those US messages.
He asked ministers what concrete steps they will take and invited officials to clarify the government's position. He urged the government to set an example to European colleagues and to address both the Central Bank bond sales and the wider implications of international messaging on defence spending.
Central Bank war bonds sales
Richard Boyd Barrett asked whether the government will stop facilitating the sale of Israeli war bonds through the Irish Central Bank, describing it as "an absolute outrage." He told ministers that while these bonds continue to be sold, Ireland is complicit in financing what he called the horror being visited on the people of Gaza.
Taoiseach's condemnation questioned
He noted the Taoiseach has condemned attacks resumed against the people of Gaza and ongoing attacks on the West Bank but does not call the action genocide. He criticised European partners for refusing to mention Israel's role while horrific attacks are taking place and pressed the government to do more than issue condemnations.
US messaging and European defence spending
Boyd Barrett referenced a tweet thread by Geoffrey Goldberg from the Atlantic confirming conversations with figures including Vance and Peter Hegeset in the Trump administration about missile attacks on Yemen. He highlighted a line from that messaging - that Europeans must invest in their defence - and asked whether the European Union is being pushed to ramp up military expenditure by those US messages.
Direct questions to the government
He asked ministers what concrete steps they will take and invited officials to clarify the government's position. He urged the government to set an example to European colleagues and to address both the Central Bank bond sales and the wider implications of international messaging on defence spending.
We publish thousands of recordings to make Irish politics transparent and resistant to manipulation. Spotted an error? Report it — together we are building a reliable archive of Irish politics.
Other speeches
Tego samego dnia All speeches from this day →
Mattie McGrath
Mattie McGrath: Triple Lock and Neutrality Must Be Sacrosanct
Mary Lou McDonald
MESS OF GOVERNMENT MAKING! Deputy Mary Lou McDonald- speech from 26 Mar 2025
Brendan Smith
Brendan Smith: Warns of High Street Crisis, Urges Retail Support
Paul Murphy
Paul Murphy: Says Speaking Time Cuts Aim to Silence Opposition
Richard O'Donoghue
Richard O'Donoghue criticises government on Defence pay, neutrality
Richard O'Donoghue
Richard O'Donoghue warns US tariffs could cost Irish jobs
Transcript
I asked you when I spoke earlier on, will this government stop facilitating the sale of Israeli war bonds through the Irish Central Bank? It is an absolute outrage that that is allowed. So maybe your official can fill you in there, I am quite happy if you want to confer with them. Okay, you raised your concern for the Middle East and you said you condemned, in your Taoiseach speech, you said you condemned the attacks that Israel has resumed against the people of Gaza and the ongoing attacks on the West Bank. You do not call it genocide and your European partners refuse even to mention the name Israel when these horrific attacks are taking place. But you say, the Taoiseach says, he condemns it. So I ask you, what are you going to do about it? Because while Israeli war bonds, which are being used to finance this horror that is being visited on the people of Gaza, while they continue to be sold through the Irish Central Bank, Ireland is complicit. So I ask you, are you going to do anything about that? To show example to your European colleagues who are up to their neck in complicity with this horrific action? The second question I have just briefly, Geoffrey Goldberg from the Atlantic has just confirmed in tweet with a tweet thread of the thread he was in with Vance, Peter Hegeset, all the various leading figures in the Trump administration over the missile attacks on Yemen. And in it, he says the following, from a messaging standpoint, we absolutely must add to this of the horribles on why the Europeans must invest in their defence. So, as they bomb Yemen, they are pushing Europe to spend more on defence. Isn't the European Union dancing to the tune of the Trump administration in its plans to ramp up military expenditure in Europe?