Arms industry lobbying group adds firms linked to Gaza and Ukraine conflicts to client list
A group that lobbies the Irish government on behalf of international arms manufacturers has acquired several new clients.
Central Bank received almost €40,000 in Israeli bond fees since 2021
The Central Bank of Ireland has collected almost €40,000 from the Israeli state since 2021 for facilitating the sale of its bonds – which are marketed as a way to support Israel’s war on Gaza.
Fine Gael defence minister met Israeli spy at taoiseach’s office
Fine Gael health minister Jennifer Carroll MacNeill held a meeting with a former Israeli spy at the taoiseach’s offices last May when she was junior defence minister.
Comment: Special advisers are just higher paid political correspondents
In February 2019 political correspondent Hugh O’Connell wrote a piece about a trend that had “raised concerns” of a “brain drain”: Fine Gael hiring half a dozen journalists as special advisers in 18 months – a "brain drain", wrote O'Connell.
Department of Defence discussed establishing quarterly meetings with arms industry lobbyists
Senior Department of Defence officials discussed establishing quarterly meetings with arms industry lobbyists – with internal records showing talks about “effective communications” between both parties ahead of the publication of an EU defence policy paper.