Inside Politics: It didn’t take long for the cracks to appear in EU’s approach to Middle East conflict

Good morning,

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar will today attend an extraordinary European Council meeting to discuss the unfolding crisis in the Middle East.

The Fine Gael leader will attend the meeting by videoconference to discuss a potential united response from the European Union. It didn’t take long for the cracks to appear in the EU’s approach to the conflict.

First, EU commissioner Olivér Várhelyi announced that the commission would put €691 million in aid to the Palestinian Authority under review, in a move which caused concern across the bloc. Within hours, the Irish Government made it clear that it did not support any withholding of aid and that there was “no legal basis” for a unilateral decision by a single commissioner.

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Then last Friday, European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen visited the Kfar Aza kibbutz where Hamas militants murdered scores of civilians. While in Israel, she offered prime minister Binyamin Netanyahu the EU’s unconditional support. She made no public criticism of Israel’s warning to more than one million people in northern Gaza to leave their homes within 24 hours or risk death.

Not only has this created major tensions right at the top echelons of the European Union, but it put her further at odds with Ireland, where a more qualified support has been offered. Ireland’s position is that any use of military force in self-defence must be in accordance with international humanitarian law, and must be both discriminate and proportionate.

Last night, President Michael D Higgins rowed in on the situation and said von der Leyen’s approach to the Israel-Hamas conflict was “thoughtless and even reckless”.

So what can we expect from today’s meeting?

Leaders will firstly consider how the EU can best give humanitarian assistance and avoid a regional escalation of the conflict or breaches of international humanitarian law. They will also discuss the humanitarian consequences of so many displaced people, and the security consequences for Europe. They will also discuss their demands for the release of hostages. Israel’s military has updated the number of people it believes are being held hostage in Gaza from 155 to 199.

The EU wants all hostages released immediately without any precondition.

Speaking in advance of the meeting, Mr Varadkar said “the rules of war exist to protect citizens, on all sides. The possibility of the conflict escalating is a particular concern for Ireland, not least because it would only result in further unnecessary bloodshed, but also because we have peacekeeping troops in nearby Lebanon and Syria.”

Today, he will raise the possibility of opening a humanitarian corridor into Gaza to allow vital life-saving supplies to be brought in. There may also be a possible call for a ceasefire.

Follow irishtimes.com for updates throughout the day.

Trouble brewing in the Department of Health

Back home, Opposition parties are expected to use some of their Dáil time today to ask Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly and Minister for Public Expenditure Paschal Donohoe why the HSE is saying it is underfunded to the tune of billions next year. Mr Donnelly will seek to make savings of more than €600 million in the health service next year, with the focus mainly on spending in hospitals and use of agency staff. His demand for increased productivity from hospitals follows fraught Budget 2024 negotiations in which he received an additional €800 million in core funding despite seeking more than €2 billion. A war of words has also opened up within the Coalition about the reasons for this year’s health overspend, which is forecast to exceed €1 billion. In advance of today’s Dáil proceedings, here is a piece detailing the planned “efficiency savings” which could cause serious political headaches next year.

Pat Leahy also this morning explains exactly what is going on with health service funding.

This morning’s Cabinet meeting

After announcing a €2.3 billion package of once-off supports in Budget 2024, Ministers will today agree what dates the payments will be made.

Minister for Energy Eamon Ryan will inform the Government that the three universal payments of €150 each to help meet higher electricity costs will be paid this December 1st, January 1st, 2024, and March 1st, 2024.

Minister for Social Protection Heather Humphreys will brief ministerial colleagues on the timetable for the payment of the once-off supplements, with payment dates ranging from November until late next January. Read the schedule of payment dates here.

Meanwhile, Minister for Integration Roderic O’Gorman will inform the meeting this morning that he expects Ireland will receive an initial €50 million in funding from the new EU Asylum Migration and Integration Fund.

It provides funds for programme refugees – those who have refugee status and are fleeing conflict zones such as Syria and Afghanistan. The fund also covers paying for transfers of those within the International Protection system between member states.

Mr O’Gorman will say he expects Ireland to receive €50 million in funding initially with future funding also expected.

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Playbook

Dáil Éireann

Leaders’ Questions are up at 2pm when Sinn Féin, the Social Democrats, the Regional Group and the Rural Independent Group tackle the Government on issues of the day. This will be followed by the Order of Business just after 2.30pm, and questions to the Taoiseach just after 3pm. Minister for Education Norma Foley will take questions on her brief at 3.49pm. There will be statements on the final report of the independent scoping exercise into the circumstances surrounding the death of Shane O’Farrell at 5.19pm. Sinn Féin have the Private Members’ Business slot with a motion on funding for people with disabilities. The Dáil adjourns at 10pm.

Seanad

Commencement Matters kick off at 1pm, followed by the Order of Business at 2pm. At 7pm, there will be statements on the final report of the independent scoping exercise into the circumstances surrounding the death of Shane O’Farrell. The Seanad adjourns at 8.15pm.

Committees

At 10.30am, the Joint Committee on Assisted Dying will hear from healthcare professionals including The Royal College of Physicians of Ireland representatives from the Irish Hospital Consultants Association and Irish Doctors Supporting Medical Assistance in Dying. At 11am, the Joint Committee on Education will discuss supports for survivors of Residential Institutional Abuse. The committee will hear from One in Four, The Christine Buckley Centre and others. Tánaiste Micheál Martin will appear before the Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs and Defence at 3.15pm to discuss matters considered at meetings of the Foreign Affairs Council. The best of the rest can be found here.