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Government issues thinly-veiled rebuke to President Catherine Connolly on Middle East war
The Government has issued a thinly-veiled rebuke to President Catherine Connolly on the Middle East war.
It came after Ms Connolly deplored “deliberate assaults on international law,” which she said had underpinned world peace and security for eighty years.
President Connolly said “we must name them (deliberate assaults) as such, without euphemism and without equivocation".
The Government failed to explicitly condemn the US and Israel last week for breaching international law, while saying this country upheld that standard – and deploring the conduct of regime in Tehran.
Today, when asked about the President’s comments, a government spokesman said that responsibility for Ireland's handling of foreign affairs "rests with" the Government.
"Successive governments have always stood firm in support of international law, it's especially important for a small country like Ireland.
"The Government fully respects the constitutional role and office of President Connolly, but it is important to recall that responsibility for international affairs rests with Government," said the spokesman.
Additionally asked if there was concern that Ms Connolly's comments may impact Taoiseach Micheál Martin's meeting with US president Donald Trump next week, the spokesman said: "No, the trip is going ahead."
Meanwhile, Tánaiste Simon Harris said Ms Connolly was "right to remind people of the horrors of war" as he defended the Government's stance.
Asked if there was much difference between the Government's position and Ms Connolly's views, Mr Harris said: "No, I think the Government has been very clear and consistent that the current actions in the Gulf do not have a UN mandate.
"The Government has been consistent in its support for international law. I have huge respect for the President, I have huge respect for her mandate, her constitutional role and her office, and therefore her right to speak on issues of concern to her, and indeed issues of concern to the Irish people."
In President Connolly's statement, made on International Women's Day on Sunday, she said Ireland had an obligation to "speak plainly" about breaches of international law in the Middle East.
It followed widespread bombing in the Gulf including the US-Israeli bombing of Iran and the assassination of its former leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
While Ms Connolly did not specifically name any country, she said: "The violations of international law we are witnessing are shocking and numbing, but we cannot afford inaction.
"What we have witnessed in recent days in the Middle East, and beyond, are not political disputes.
"They are deliberate assaults on international law, the international laws that have underpinned global peace for 80 years.
"We must name them as such, without euphemism and without equivocation.
"Ireland is uniquely positioned to do precisely that."
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