Politics watch: Bill to ban trade with illegal Israeli settlements
James Cox
Here, we have a look at the issues likely to dominate political discourse in the weeks to come.
Government to draft Bill to ban trade with illegal Israeli settlements
The Government is to draft legislation to ban the trade of goods with Palestinian lands illegally occupied by Israeli settlements.
Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Harris received Cabinet approval to draft the law on Tuesday.
The Government has opted for fresh legislation instead of progressing the Occupied Territories Bill, first tabled in 2018.
The Government has said there is “a narrow pathway”, based on an advisory opinion from the UN’s top court, to ban trade with illegal Israeli settlements.
Bill aimed at banning fox hunting
A bill that would ban “cruel” fox hunting in Ireland has been introduced to the Dáil.
The bill was immediately opposed by two rural independent TDs, who said foxes pose concerns for farmers.
Solidarity TD Ruth Coppinger, who introduced the bill, said it was “unprecedented” for a bill to be opposed at the first stage.
Government apology over hit-and-run crash
The Justice Minister has announced a review of bail laws after apologising to the family of a Monaghan cyclist who was killed in a hit-and-run crash almost 14 years ago.
On August 2nd, 2011, 23-year-old law graduate Shane O’Farrell was cycling home when he was struck by a car in the Carrickmacross area of Co Monaghan.
The driver of the car, Zigimantas Gradzuiska, failed to remain at the scene.
The Lithuanian national had a number of previous convictions including for theft and drugs offences.
The Dáil heard that the day he struck Mr O’Farrell, Gradzuiska should have been in jail for breaches of bail conditions that were applied to him at the time.
In one instance, the late Judge John O’Hagan had told him that he would be “going to prison” if he got in trouble again after January 11th, 2011.
Public express outrage over McGregor/Trump meeting
Members of the public expressed their anger at Conor McGregor's St Patrick's Day meeting with US president Donald Trump in messages to Taoiseach Micheál Martin.
The vast majority of messages were critical of McGregor, with many accusing the UFC fighter of "hijacking our identity".
Mr Martin met the US president on March 12th, and the Government was blindsided by McGregor's St Patrick's Day trip to the White House, in which he made a number of unfounded claims about immigration into Ireland.
Claims McGregor made about crime levels in Dublin were also found to be from a discredited 'study' published by an online gambling company.
In messages to the Taoiseach, seen by BreakingNews.ie after a Freedom of Information request, people expressed anger at McGregor's White House appearance.
At 10.15pm on March 17th, one email to Mr Martin read: "You did a great job on your recent visit to the White House, congratulations on your diplomacy, but I’m furious with that clown (and I’m being generous) McGregor hijacking our identity."
Abroad
A 50 per cent tariff on EU imports to the US has been delayed from June 1st until July 9th following a call with European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen, Donald Trump said.
Speaking to reporters in New Jersey late on Sunday, the US president said the delay was to allow time for “serious negotiations” with the bloc.
In the UK, Nigel Farage's Reform UK continues to rise in opinion polls, with prime minister Keir Starmer and Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch struggling for a response.