Jennifer Carroll MacNeill defends meeting Israeli spy
Fine Gael health minister Jennifer Carroll MacNeill has defended her 2024 meeting with an ex-Israeli spy, in correspondence seen by The Ditch.
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Fighter jets used to bomb Iran land at Shannon Airport
The two US military fighter jets that landed at Shannon Airport on Saturday dropped missiles on Iran earlier this year, The Ditch can reveal.
Comment: No going down that road
When the woman on the microphone in the Drumcree Community Centre, a five-minute walk from the Garvaghy Road, began by saying, “Anyone who’s not from round here…” I was grateful. How do we help, just off the train from Dublin, respectful.
IDA chief planned to discuss Occupied Territories Bill and 'impact of US FDI' with Trump’s ambassador
The IDA’s CEO prepared to discuss the Occupied Territories Bill and the “impact of US FDI” during a meeting earlier this year with US ambassador Edward Walsh.
FAI scrubs directors' names from website
The FAI has removed a list of directors and senior management from its website after controversy over Ireland’s fixtures against Israel.
Comment: Thank you Gavin Bazunu
I haven’t been to an Irish soccer match since May 1997 when an Ireland select played Celtic at Lansdowne Road. It was Packie Bonner’s testimonial, a match that players like him are considered to deserve, to go along with the everlasting life he’d realised at the World Cup in 1990.
Comment: The Bay of Pigs
Donald Trump has left Ireland but his people are still here.
‘We are living a nightmare’: Palestinian footballer who played Bohs in Dublin imprisoned in Israel
On an historic May 15 in 2024 at 7.30pm Natalie Abudayyeh stepped in front of a sold-out crowd at Dublin’s Dalymount Park.
Israeli landlords seeking retention permission for illegal rental properties
An Israeli-owned property company with a history of prohibition notices for its rentals in Ireland is seeking retention permission for the third time in Phibsborough for an illegal letting.
Israelis in Ireland concealing former intelligence roles
More than a third of the Israeli ex-intelligence agents based in Ireland exposed by The Ditch in 2024 have scrubbed details of their Israel Defense Forces (IDF) service from their LinkedIn profiles.
League of Ireland partner has received more than $4 million in US Department of War contracts
One of the League of Ireland’s commercial partners is a US military contractor that helps “optimise the performance” of soldiers – and has also provided performance analysis to Israeli sports teams.
Comment: The Raytheon Nine, the northern arms industry and the politics of ‘moving on’
Make a one-time donation to The Ditch The occupation lasted just eight hours. That’s all they needed. Twenty years ago last month nine members of the Derry Antiwar Coalition walked into the premises of international arms dealer Raytheon. The group, a mixture of socialists and Irish republicans, caused
Enterprise Ireland funds company that partnered with firms accused of complicity in genocide
A company funded by Enterprise Ireland – with more than €800,000 public cash behind it – has partnered with at least three international arms manufacturers accused of complicity in Israel's genocide in Gaza.
Government grants residency to IDF soldiers who served during Gaza genocide – Palestinian refusals rise
Jim O’Callaghan’s justice department granted residency to Israelis who served in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) during the Gaza genocide – while new statistics show Palestinian long-term visa refusals continuing to rise.
Social Democrats TD Eoin Hayes boasts about co-leading team that cut 200 tech jobs
Though Social Democrats TD Eoin Hayes wrote in the Irish Times last month that losing a job is "one of the most traumatic events a person can go through”, he co-led a team responsible for cutting 200 jobs at a global tech company – including 70 roles in his own constituency.
Comment: A reflection on An Garda Síochána and whiny proceduralism
The politics of policing in Ireland has some interesting idiosyncrasies.
International academics call off Irish event in protest at Palestinian visa refusals
With the Irish state, for the first time in a decade, refusing more Palestinian visa applications than it grants, as well widespread refusals for student visas for Palestinians, a group of international academics have called off a gathering at Maynooth University.
Jewish Representative Council of Ireland told media regulator it classifies content critical of Israel’s existence as ‘antisemitic’
The Jewish Representative Council of Ireland (JRCI) in its successful application for a position identifying antisemitic content online told Coimisiún na Meán it would classify material “denying Jewish people self-determination, e.g., by claiming Israel’s existence is racist” as antisemitic.
SIPO launches inquiry into Collins land deal
SIPO has launched a formal inquiry into The Ditch reports that Fianna Fáil junior minister Niall Collins voted to sell local authority land that was bought by his wife.
British detain Irish neutrality activists on ‘anti-terrorism’ grounds
British authorities detained two Irish neutrality activists on their way to an anti-NATO demonstration outside London on “anti-terrorism” grounds.
CitizenGo: the American-led campaign group that doesn’t have to disclose its political spending in Ireland
The campaigns manager in Ireland for a foreign political organisation carrying out a “name and shame” campaign against TDs is married to an Aontú general election candidate who sits on the party's ard comhairle.
With the state refusing Palestinian visas, Israelis get PPS numbers and work permits
More than 700 new PPS numbers and 600 work permits have been granted to Israelis in Ireland since October 2023.
Enterprise Ireland: cocktail networking for the arms industry in the French embassy
Enterprise Ireland went “cocktail networking” with the international arms industry at the French embassy – the day after media reported government was set to relax rules on state agencies backing defence companies.
Niall Collins falsely mocks concerned constituents’ email about triple lock as ‘AI generated’
Fianna Fáil junior minister Niall Collins mocked a constituent concerned about Fianna Fáil removing the triple lock – and refused to engage with correspondence, instead responding, “Thank you for your AI generated email”.