Sinn Féin TD Matt Carthy has defended his use of language with the Tánaiste during an oireachtas committee meeting about the Occupieed Territories Bill. During what the Monaghan-based TD is calling a "heated debate", Carthy used a swear word to describe comments made by Michéal Martin. Both TDs were in a committee meeting to discuss the status of the bill. which is a proposed Irish law that would ban and criminalise "trade with and economic support for illegal settlements in occupied Israeli settlements. Matt Carthy is critical of the Government for not passing the bill before this current Dáil term ends tomorrow.
The Social Democrats used the last day of this Dáil to raise the issue demanding the government take a firmer stance on the Palestinian situation, following the decision not to pass the Occupied Territories Bill before the election. In the committee, the Tánaiste said he would not take lectures from Sinn Féin over the government's "bone fide" commitment to Palestinian self-determination. Michéal Martin also said he'd have "more respect" for Sinn Féin's position if the party had used its considerable influence in the US where the party "raises a lot of money" on the Palestinian question.
Matt Carthy used a swear word to describe the comments. He also asked the Chair of the committee to direct the "witness" in reference to Micheál Martin to answer the question put to him. Matt Carthy said the Tánaiste was deflecting from the questions put to him "as usual" and said he used the language in the heat of robust discussion and that no one would take umbrage to being referred to as a witness in the circumstances.
