Latest news with #PatriciaStephenson
Irish Independent
an hour ago
- Politics
- Irish Independent
Social Democrats defend decision to readmit Eoin Hayes to party
Social Democrats Senator and Foreign Affairs spokesperson, Patricia Stephenson, has stood by acting party leader Cian O'Callaghan's decision to readmit Eoin Hayes to the party.
RTÉ News
2 hours ago
- Politics
- RTÉ News
Stephenson defends party decision to end Hayes' suspension
Social Democrats Senator Patricia Stephenson has defended her party leadership's decision to end Eoin Hayes TD's suspension over his previous shares in a US tech firm with Israeli defence forces contracts. Speaking to reporters after attending the Oireachtas Foreign Affairs Committee's Occupied Territories Bill report launch, Senator Stephenson also said she does not believe any Social Democrats TD or senator will quit the party over the controversy. Last Friday evening, first-time TD for Dublin Bay South Eoin Hayes was re-admitted to the Social Democrats after a near eight-month suspension. Deputy Hayes had been suspended weeks after last November's general election, and before the new Dáil had even sat, due to revelations he provided incorrect information to the media about the sale of shares in his former employer Palantir Technologies. However, he was last week re-admitted to the party, with Social Democrats deputy leader Cian O' Callaghan saying he believed Deputy Hayes "should be given a second chance". Yesterday, Deputy O'Callaghan's administrative assistant quit the party over the decision. Asked during a press conference on the Occupied Territories Bill report about the decision to re-admit Deputy Hayes to the Social Democrats, party senator Patricia Stephenson initially declined to comment, saying she would speak with the media after the event. After the event, the Social Democrats foreign affairs spokesperson said when asked if she is happy with the decision to re-admit Deputy Hayes: "I think the way Cian O'Callaghan handled that was very well and strong, and I fully support Cian O'Callaghan in his decision making." She responded to questions over whether she believes other party members may leave over the issue by saying: "I don't believe the parliamentary party members will leave and I can't speak for voters, because obviously there's a lot of divergence of views." Senator Stephenson had earlier told journalists that Deputy Hayes had made a mistake, broken people's trust and had to re-build that trust in the coming period.
Belfast Telegraph
14-07-2025
- Politics
- Belfast Telegraph
From Belfast to the Oireachtas: ‘A lot of people haven't crossed the border... we have to break down the idea we're different'
Patricia Stephenson took the scenic route into Irish politics. Her family home in south Belfast was bombed by the UVF in 1993 because her father was an SDLP councillor.
Irish Times
20-06-2025
- Politics
- Irish Times
AG says he cannot help on legal query over Shannon flights that may aid Israel's Gaza war
Attorney General Rossa Fanning has told the Social Democrats that he is not in a position to assist after the party appealed to him to check whether Irish policy on flight inspection at Shannon Airport is consistent with EU customs law. The party's foreign affairs spokeswoman Patricia Stephenson had previously called on the EU anti-fraud watchdog, OLAF, to launch an investigation into the inspection of flights into Shannon which she said may be facilitating Israel's bombardment of Gaza . She also wrote to the Attorney General, along with her party colleague Gary Gannon, asking whether Irish policy is consistent with the State's legal duties under both EU law and the Genocide Convention. In a response, Mr Fanning wrote that while he appreciated the party had written to him 'with the public-spirited concern of conscientious members of the Oireachtas', he was unable to assist as his constitutional role 'does not extend to providing analysis of legal matters to individual members of the Oireachtas'. READ MORE He said that furthermore, 'it would be neither appropriate, nor in accordance with my legal position, for me to act as a conduit in bringing such concerns to the attention of the Government'. [ Ireland seeks 'legal clarity' over Shannon stopover for US deportation flights Opens in new window ] 'As members of the Oireachtas, I trust you will have the opportunity to express to Government directly the concerns you raise in the correspondence to DG TAXUD [Directorate-General for Taxation and Customs Union] and OLAF.' The Social Democrats have said there is credible evidence that military contractors and private aircraft carrying dual-use goods are moving through Irish airspace and Irish territory en route to Israel. Ms Stephenson has previously said that under EU customs law, Ireland is required to carry out risk-based inspections. 'That means prioritising flights operated by arms brokers or those on known weapons trade routes. That's what the law says - and right now, Ireland isn't following it,' she said. [ New aircraft inspection system planned to prevent illegal transport of weapons through Ireland Opens in new window ] Speaking on Friday after receiving the AG's letter, Ms Stephenson said: 'Given the response of the Attorney-General, it's now important that the Taoiseach clarifies if the Irish State is indeed in breach of EU law in choosing not to inspect planes that are arriving in Shannon and then travelling out of the European Union directly from Ireland. 'Obviously our concern is one of moral failure, regarding Gaza and the weapons travelling through Ireland, but the State can't continue to operate outside of EU Customs and VAT requirements while maintaining this appalling indifference to what is happening in Shannon Airport.'
BreakingNews.ie
17-06-2025
- Politics
- BreakingNews.ie
Senator calls for EU probe into lack of flight inspections at Shannon
A senator has asked an EU anti-fraud watchdog to investigate whether the State is failing to inspect 'high-risk flights' into Shannon Airport. Social Democrats Senator Patricia Stephenson said the party had written to Olaf requesting an investigation into Ireland's 'failure to inspect' the flights and enforce EU VAT obligations. Advertisement Speaking to reporters at Leinster House, she said there had been a 'lack of credible action from the Government when it comes to Gaza' as she focused on the flights into the airport. She said she had written to the watchdog to request that it inspects the Government's protocols and procedures for investigations of high-risk aircraft that are travelling through Ireland. 'Under EU legislation, the Government has an obligation to inspect high-risk aircraft,' she said. Ms Stephenson said this means military-contracted flights or aircraft using known military transport routes, for example, to Azerbaijan before being sold to Israel. Advertisement She said the Government had an obligation to conduct EU tax and customs duties and inspections to collect relevant duties if the flight is leaving the EU through Ireland. 'Whether the Government is doing that is a different question – because we've been told they can't possibly inspect flights.' Ms Stephenson said she wrote to Olaf last week and informed the Attorney General about the referral on Monday. She said she is yet to hear back but added that she did not expect Olaf to be 'fast moving'. Advertisement
