Green Party leader Roderic O’Gorman has labelled the US-Israeli strike on Iran as “an illegal war under international law”, stating that the developments have “destabilised the Middle East”.
Speaking on RTÉ’s This Week programme, Deputy O’Gorman said he was not expressing any support for the Iranian regime, but argued that “these attacks aren’t about helping Iranians”, reports RTE.
Mr O’Gorman claimed the strikes were intended to divert attention from internal political issues in both the US and Israel.
He said “there is no plan for what happens” afterwards and warned the conflict has created “absolute uncertainty” for ordinary people caught up in the turmoil, reports RTE.
Social Democrats Defence Spokesperson Sinead Gibney said she believes US President Donald Trump is “doing this for his own enrichment” and that events unfolding have little connection to supporting everyday Iranians.
Deputy Gibney also suggested the US president is attempting to sidestep domestic concerns, saying “weapons of mass distraction” are being deployed, reports RTE.
When questioned about the escalating situation in Iran, Sinn Féin’s Health Spokesperson David Cullinane said, “nobody believes this is for the freedom of the people of Iran”.
However, he emphasised that Ireland must maintain its stance on neutrality, stating “we have to stand on our own two feet as an independent country” and that “the world needs voices like Ireland, voices of reason”, reports RTE.
Deputy Gibney further argued that the Government is “drawing us closer and closer towards NATO” and maintained that “abandoning the triple lock is abandoning the UN”.
In response, Minister for Enterprise Peter Burke said: “We’re not joining NATO”, adding that Ireland can no longer overlook how the UN Security Council operates and insisting that “the people of Ireland decide what happens”, reports RTE.
Appearing on the same programme, the Green Party leader was also asked about his party’s annual conference on Saturday and said he sees the British Green Party’s recent by-election win as evidence of renewed momentum for the broader green movement.
He dismissed suggestions from Government figures that he or his party had been “lecturing” on environmental matters, instead arguing “they’re [the coalition] not prepared to face the facts” and that “we’ve seen them retreat and retreat” on climate policy, reports RTE.
He accused the Government of “giving up” on emissions goals and failing to provide leadership on environmental challenges, adding that the party is focusing on two forthcoming by-elections.
The party lost 11 of its 12 seats in the most recent general election, leaving Mr O’Gorman as its sole remaining TD, reports RTE.
Mr O’Gorman told RTÉ that internal party structures had been strengthened ahead of by-elections later this year in Galway West and Dublin Central.
He said: “I think these by-elections, the biggest impact that they could have is to elect a green TD, because that would completely change the political conversation here, about nature, about climate, two areas we know, and I think everybody recognises that since the Greens have left government, that this government have backpedalled on consistently over the last 12 months,”, reports RTE.
Mr O’Gorman said he has reflected on his tenure in coalition government, where he served as children’s minister.
He said: “I wish I pushed earlier in terms of reducing childcare costs, and I wish in terms of the migrant crisis and the accommodation crisis that I had to deal with in my department, I wish I’d been tougher with some of the other government departments, particularly the Department of Housing,”, reports RTE.
The Green Party leader said Taoiseach Micheal Martin and Tanaiste Simon Harris were “not prepared to give leadership” on climate issues.
He said: “They’re not prepared to face the realities of very significant fines coming to Ireland if we don’t meet our targets, reports RTE.
“And they’re using that to distract from the fact that on important policies like investment in public transport, like decarbonising our electricity system, they are not pushing forward. They have no interest in these areas.
“We saw the difference the Green Party made in the last government, reports RTE.
“We brought these areas to the very centre of political decision-making in this country, and we’ve seen retreat after retreat from the new government,”, reports RTE.
Mr O’Gorman said the Government has effectively already “given up” on achieving its 2030 emissions reduction targets.
He said: “I don’t know any other government target that it is satisfactory for a minister to give up four years before that target is due, reports RTE.
“It wouldn’t be acceptable in housing, it wouldn’t be acceptable in terms of health, in terms of waiting times, and yet this Government has given up four years early, and that’s to let themselves off the hook,”, reports RTE.
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