Sinn Féin spokesperson on Finance, Pearse Doherty TD, today challenged the Central Bank of Ireland on their role in selling Israeli war bonds across the EU.

Teachta Doherty said:

“Ireland should have no hand of part in the selling of Israeli war bonds that are funding a genocide.

“Last month the Ditch exposed the fact that Ireland was one of five member states in the EU selling war bonds.

“Since then, through the Finance committee Sinn Féin has learnt that Ireland is the ‘home’ country in the EU for these war bonds than allows them to be sold in other EU countries.

“Today, I challenged the Central Bank’s claim that they have a legal obligation to allow Israeli war bonds to be sold through Ireland to the rest of the EU.

“The EU regulations provide scope for the Central Bank to act – and we need to see that happen. I welcome that the governor today agreed to review this shameful practice.

“Despite the Central Bank’s role as an independent regulator it is important that it doesn’t operate in isolation or opposition to the Irish public opinion or shut its eyes to the generational issue of the genocide unfolding in Gaza.

“Israel explicitly markets these bonds as a way of supporting the ‘war effort’. The people of Ireland know it is not a war but a genocide and want no involvement with it.

“There is no doubt that these are war bonds designed to help Israel continue its genocide of the Palestinian people. It is completely unacceptable that successive Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil Finance Ministers allowed this to happen. Particularly since the ICJ’s ruling in January.

“I welcome the Central Bank today confirming to me that they have diverted from all investment in all Israeli companies operating in the occupied territories. This was in direct response to questions raised by Sinn Féin. We need to see the same outcome here.”