The deputy leader of the Social Democrats is “very angry” about misleading statements made by a newly-elected party TD over his shares in a company linked to the Israeli military.
Cian O’Callaghan said on Wednesday that the parliamentary party had voted unanimously to suspend the politician after what he said was an “embarrassing” and “unacceptable” incident.
Speaking after engaging with Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil on government formation talks, he said: “It has affected our standing and we have a lot of work to do on this in the future.”
He added: “We’ve taken a knock – and deservedly so – but we’ve just been elected by people and we got a very strong mandate and people are saying very strongly that they really want us to act on issues like housing, healthcare, childcare, disability services and climate action.”
The suspended politician, Eoin Hayes, had originally told the media and his party colleagues that he divested shares in his former employer, Palantir Technologies, prior to being elected to Dublin City Council in June.
However, following reporting from the Daily Mail newspaper, he later revealed that he actually sold the shares in July – after taking office – for a pre-tax figure of €199,000. The company supplies technology to Israel’s military.
He went on to win a Dáil seat in Dublin Bay South in last month’s general election.
The timing of the sale did not line up with his public comments or statements from the leader of the Social Democrats, who has been a vociferous critic of Israel’s actions in the war in Gaza.
Holly Cairns had called for economic sanctions against Israel in November last year, when Mr Hayes still had shareholding in Palantir.
The Social Democrats said they had suspended Mr Hayes after the correct timing of the disposal of the shares was revealed. He said he would sit in the Dáil as an Independent.
Speaking to reporters about the incident on Wednesday, Mr O’Callaghan said the party had been given inaccurate information about when Mr Hayes sold his shares.
He said he had requested that the party’s national executive review all of the issues leading up Mr Hayes’ suspension.
Asked if there was any route for Mr Hayes back into the party, Mr O’Callaghan said they were not at the point of “knowing what was going to happen into the future”.
Pressed on whether complete expulsion was a possibility, he said the review into the matter would take a number of weeks.
He said that Ms Cairns, who gave birth to a baby girl two less than two weeks ago, was “extremely disappointed” about the matter.
On the overall situation, Mr O’Callaghan said: “Media do a very important job holding us to account and at all times information given to me and, indeed, the public and ourselves should be accurate.”
Prior to the updated disclosure of the selling of the shares, senior party TD Gary Gannon suggested on a podcast that a journalist pursuing the story of Mr Hayes’ work in Palantir was looking for a job as a government adviser.
On Wednesday, Mr Gannon apologised for the remarks.
He said he retracted the comments and that they did not reflect the views of the party: “It was a poor comment to make, it wasn’t acceptable and I apologise”.
“It was grossly silly comment and it won’t happen again.”
He added: “I let the party down last week after a heavy general election. I was tired, I wasn’t being my best self.”
Asked if Mr Gannon had been disciplined, Mr O’Callaghan said the comments were not acceptable.
Mr Hayes was given shares in the company, which supplies technology to Israel to assist in its war in Gaza, when he worked for the firm between 2015 and 2017.
He said: “I had absolutely no role in anything related to any military contracts – for the Israeli military or anyone else.
“As part of my salary package I was provided with shares. The conditions attaching to those shares meant I was unable to sell them until 2021 – six months after the company had gone public.”
He added: “Throughout the course of the past year, Palantir’s support for the Israeli military has markedly increased.
“In January, the company signed a new strategic partnership with the Israeli defence ministry. I should have sold my shares then and I deeply regret that I did not.”
Mr Hayes said he apologised “unreservedly” for providing incorrect information.
