Search
26 Sept 2025
Search
26 Sept 2025
Please allow ads as they help fund our trusted local news content.
Kindly add us to your ad blocker whitelist.
If you want further access to Ireland's best local journalism, consider contributing and/or subscribing to our free daily Newsletter .
Support our mission and join our community now.
To continue reading this article, you can subscribe for as little as €0.50 per week which will also give you access to all of our premium content and archived articles!
Alternatively, you can pay €0.50 per article, capped at €1 per day.
Thank you for supporting Ireland's best local journalism!
Some members of the Israeli government will be banned from entering Ireland, the Irish premier has said at the UN.
Taoiseach Micheal Martin was addressing the United Nations General Assembly on Friday as the focus intensifies on Israel’s military offensive against Palestinians in Gaza.
As action at a European Union level stalls, Mr Martin said that Ireland was taking action in relation to the conflict in the Middle East.
“There cannot be business as usual in the face of genocide,” he said during his address.
“As Navi Pillar has made clear, to do nothing is not neutrality, it is complicity.
“Ireland has intervened in the South African case at the ICJ (International Court of Justice).
“We have recognised the State of Palestine.
“We are legislating against the import of goods from the Occupied Territories.
“We will act to prevent those members of the Government of Israel who have been instrumental in fomenting the unfolding disaster in Gaza from entering our country.”
He then called for an immediate ceasefire, the release of all the remaining hostages in Gaza, and unimpeded access for humanitarian aid and workers to the Gaza Strip.
“Those responsible for war crimes must be held accountable – there can be no impunity,” he said.
Mr Martin also said that the attack on October 7 2023 was “a monstrous war crime” and that Hamas “can have no role in the future governance in Palestine”.
“But no crime, however heinous, can justify genocide.”
He also welcomed the decision to recognise Palestinian statehood by the UK, France, Belgium, Canada and Australia.
It comes after presidential candidate Catherine Connolly, backed by left-wing opposition parties in Ireland, criticised similar comments by UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, where he said Hamas should have “no role in government”.
“I don’t think it’s up to Keir Starmer to make that statement at all,” Ms Connolly said this week.
“The Palestinians must decide, in a democratic way, who they want to lead their country.”
Subscribe or register today to discover more from DonegalLive.ie
Buy the e-paper of the Donegal Democrat, Donegal People's Press, Donegal Post and Inish Times here for instant access to Donegal's premier news titles.
Keep up with the latest news from Donegal with our daily newsletter featuring the most important stories of the day delivered to your inbox every evening at 5pm.
This publication supports the work of the Press Council of Ireland and Office of the Press Ombudsman, and our staff operate within the Code of Practice of the Press Council. You can obtain a copy of the Code, or contact the Council, at www.presscouncil.ie, Lo-call 1800 208 080 or email: info@presscouncil.ie.
