‘The heart of the Irish people beats in sync with the Palestinians’

The Cavan branch of the Ireland Palestine Solidarity Campaign (IPSC) held an “urgent” lunch time protest outside the Fianna Fáil office in Cavan Town on Friday after the Sanctions Against the State of Israel Bill was defeated in the Dáil.

If enacted, the Bill would provide for the establishment of economic sanctions against Israel, and supporters believe it would prevent the commission of international crimes of genocide and apartheid by the State of Israel.

The bill was voted on by members of the Dáil last Wednesday, and was defeated after 77 voted ‘no’; while 62 cast ‘yes’.

Deputy Cathy Bennett (SF) voted in favour, while Deputies Brendan Smith (FF), Niamh Smyth (FF) and David Maxwell (FG) voted no. Deputy Matt Carthy was not present.

Approximately 40 people gathered in Cavan Town for the lunchtime protest, while support was also shown by some passing motorists and people who beeped and waved.

“We came out here because it’s unconscionable that two and a half years later we are still debating this issue,” IPSC member Megan de Siún told the Celt.

“How are 77 people sitting there saying that they don’t think what Israel is doing warrants any sort of sanctions?” she questioned.

As of April 6, 2026, at least 72,312 Palestinians have been killed and 172,134 injured since October 7, 2023, according to Gaza’s Ministry of Health.

Almost 1,200 people were killed during the attack in Israel on October 7, 2023, with more than 5,400 injured.

Ms de Siún also criticised the government for suggesting they will “move ahead” with the Occupied Territories Bill. However it will exclude the provision of services. Minister Helen McEntee is expected to bring this new version of the legislation before the Dáil in the coming weeks.

“We need to look at countries like Spain and stand by our world and do things that make an actual difference,” she continued.

Meanwhile, Ms de Siún pointed out that Ireland was the second largest importer of Israeli products in 2024, behind only the United States, which imported $3bn billion worth of goods.

“People need to contact their TDs and demand sanctions,” she said, believing that people should look at boycott divest and sanction lists and see where their money is being spent.

Seán Walsh was holding a banner which read ‘Stop funding Israeli genocide. Boycott, Divest. Sanction’ outside the Fianna Fáil office. He has attended several protests held by IPSC. Most recently he says he was “crying” watching the treatment of flotilla activists detained by Israeli authorities last week.

“You can only imagine what they are doing to the Palestinians,” he feared.

Marina Harten believes local politicians are “disconnected from the ordinary people” of Cavan and Monaghan.

“Nobody wants to support a genocide yet they are voting and creating policies that are enabling genocide.

“The heart of the Irish people beats in sync with the Palestinians. We have experienced this ourselves.”

She described it as “a disgrace” that politicians are “selling us out like this”.

“This is not what Ireland is.”

All TDs in Cavan and Monaghan were contacted to explain their vote in favour, against, or not at all.

Deputy Maxwell (FG) said he will “fully support” the bill that Minister McEntee will bring before the Dáil.

“What is happening in Gaza must be called out, and what Isreal is doing has gone far beyond any rational response to terrorism inflicted on them,” he said in a statement to this newspaper.

In relation to the current Bill, he said: “When important decisions must be taken, we need to be sure that they stand up to legal scrutiny.”

Meanwhile, Cathy Bennett (SF) said Ireland must “utilise every legislative, diplomatic and economic lever at our disposal to sanction Israel until such a time as they are brought into compliance”.

As a member of the Oireachtas Foreign Affairs and Trade Committee, she stated it has been “particularly frustrating to see delay after delay, and excuse after excuse from government as to why the Occupied Territories Bill has yet to be made law.”

“Even more so, the failure of government to provide any justification or substance as to why they seem hell-bent on excluding services from the bill.”

Brendan Smith (FF) said he appreciates “the concerns of the protesters”.

“I fully uphold the right of people to peaceful protest,” he notes, saying he has “consistently condemned the evil deeds of the Israeli regime; their murderous acts and genocide.”

But he said the government “cannot support a bill that cannot be implemented in practice,” beforeeoutlining how the Minister for Foreign Affairs told the Dáil last week that “an outright blanket ban has no legal basis”.

“Trade is an EU competency,” said Deputy Smith.

At the recent Foreign Affairs Council, Ireland requested the European Commission bring forward proposals to prohibit trade with the Israeli settlements in the Occupied Territories on the basis of the EU’s Common Commercial Policy.

“The government will be bringing legislation forward shortly.”

He said the Taoiseach is also seeking the suspension of the EU-Israel Association agreement.

Contacted by the Celt, Deputy Matt Carthy said due to “unavoidable circumstances” he was unable to attend the Dáil vote. However he said he has “led” Sinn Féin’s work to “push” the Irish Government to take “real tangible action in support of the Palestinian people and to hold Israel to account”.