Paul Murphy: U.S. Ambassador at Far-Right Meath Conference
Paul Murphy said the U.S. Ambassador attended a far-right conference in Meath and that the event explicitly encouraged American far-right interference in Irish politics. He named attendees including Malachi Steenson, Sharon Keoghan, Declan Ganley and conference chair Eddie Hobbs, and cited Steve Bannon's comments to Politico about cultivating an Irish MAGA-style movement.
Conference attendance and attendees
Paul Murphy described the gathering in Meath as a "who's who" of the Irish far-right, listing Malachi Steenson, Sharon Keoghan and multimillionaire businessman Declan Ganley among those present. He said the U.S. Ambassador attended the event and remarked on the profile of the conference chair, Eddie Hobbs.
Calls for American interference
The speech states the conference explicitly encouraged American interference by the American far-right in Irish politics. Murphy quoted Eddie Hobbs as urging the audience to "reach across the Atlantic and seek help from the U.S. MAGA movement to change the Irish government."
International concerns and rhetorical questions
Murphy linked the conference to wider international activity, referencing Steve Bannon telling Politico he is working on developing an Irish Donald Trump and an Irish national party. He also posed direct questions about concerns over the U.S. MAGA movement's international conduct, including a rhetorical question about alleged actions involving a Venezuelan head of state.
Parliamentary response and warnings on fragmentation
In reply, Deputy Moran said he was not aware of the Ambassador's attendance and expressed no trust in those who attended that meeting. The Deputy called for faith in democracy, for asserting principles collectively in the House, and warned that increased fragmentation of Irish politics opens the door to exploitation and manipulation that must be resisted, whether the influence is external or internal.
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Thanks. Last weekend the U.S. Ambassador attended a far-right conference in Meath. It was a who's who of the Irish far-right. Malachi Steenson, Sharon Keoghan, multimillionaire or billionaire businessman Declan Ganley, an array of transphobes and anti-choicers. The conference explicitly encouraged American interference by the American far-right in Irish politics. Presumably the U.S. Ambassador was nodding along when the conference chair Eddie Hobbs told the audience to reach across the Atlantic and seek help from the U.S. MAGA movement to change the Irish government. This comes after Steve Bannon telling Politico that he's working on developing an Irish Donald Trump and developing an Irish national party. Are you concerned the U.S. MAGA movement just kidnapped a head of state in Venezuela and brought him to America, killing many Venezuelans and Cubans on the way? Do you think by being craven, by just licking the boots of Donald Trump he's going to not interfere in our politics, or you turn course change course, call out what is happening at the international stage? Deputy Moranен. Deputy Morfey, in terms of various meetings, I'm not aware of the Ambassador's attendance at that and I hold no trust for those attending that particular meeting. And again, we have to have faith in our own democracy, and we have to assert our own principles in here in this House, which I think we should do, and we should do collectively. But again, it's a challenging area, and there are those who... The increased fragmentation of Irish politics is a problem, in my view, and it's opening the door for exploitation and manipulation, in my view, and that's something that everyone in the House should be mindful of, and there will be those who will seek to exploit that, and I think we have to resist that. All of us have to resist that type of influence, external or internal.
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