Governments have been involved in evacuation operations for Irish citizens in the recent past. Last year, during the 12-day war between Israel and Iran, arrangements were made for Irish passport holders to travel overland to safety. In 2023, a total of 122 Irish citizens were evacuated from Sudan during a civil war with help from other EU countries.
But none will compare to the scale of the evacuation from the Gulf states. In an interview with The Irish Times, Minister for Foreign Affairs Helen McEntee said that as many as 2,000 Irish citizens on holiday, or in transit, have been stranded in Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.
In addition, there are up to 22,000 Irish citizens living in the region who may need to be flown out of the area should the war widen and intensify.
The lead story this Wednesday morning reports on Iran widening its drone and missile attacks on US allies in nearby Gulf states and the development that the Department of Foreign Affairs is in the process of organising the first charter flight to take Irish citizens from the region.
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The report features a striking image of grief-stricken mourners in Iran’s Hormozgan province, where a reported 165 people, most of them young girls, were killed when an Israeli missile hit a school.
US president Donald Trump and senior administration figures have given contradictory accounts of why the US launched the attack. A day after US secretary of state Mario Rubio said the US had joined an Israeli-led assault, Trump denied that rationale and boasted he might have “forced Israel’s hand”.
He also ordered that all dealings be cut off with Spain, which has harshly criticised the action. For the beleaguered UK prime minister Keir Starmer there was a cruel put-down.
“This is not Winston Churchill we are dealing with,” he said.
The rebukes by Trump of other world leaders will put a spotlight on Taoiseach Micheál Martin’s visit to the White House later this month.
McEntee told The Irish Times she expected Martin would raise Ireland’s concerns about the US-Israeli action with Trump.
Big Phil is back
Five years after his downfall after “Golfgate” – when he had to resign his position as the EU trade commissioner – Phil Hogan may be on a comeback trail.
On Tuesday, the Government nominated Hogan as Ireland’s candidate to contest an election for a senior job at the United Nations.
Minister for Agriculture Martin Heydon brought a memo to Cabinet on Tuesday, setting out a recommendation from an internal department process that Ireland nominate Hogan for the international role.
The UN agency, the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), is based in Rome, and the top job commands a salary of about $265,000 (€228,000) a year. The election to fill the position will take place next year, with representatives of the 194 FAO member states each getting one vote.
The Opposition was less enthusiastic about it. Labour said it highlighted his continuing influence within Fine Gael while Sinn Féin said he was an “insider” and had been “arrogant” in his dismissal of criticism when the Golfgate controversy first arose.
European correspondent Jack Power has also written an analysis piece on it.
Best Reads
Miriam Lord writes about the high-octane exchanges in the Dáil over the rationale for the US and Israeli war against Iran, and the emergence of Wicklow TD Edward Timmins as the Government’s “best boy in class”.
In his column, Michael McDowell argues that if Putin was wrong to invade Ukraine, so Trump has been wrong to invade Iran.
Academic Alanna O’Malley has an opinion piece in the same vein as McDowell’s but more forcefully put. She accuses Irish governments of being complicit in “facilitating American military action for decades” and for being “obsequious” to the US.
In response to the Government’s nuanced position – where no direct criticism of the US has been expressed – she also claims US multinationals will not flee the country if the Government stands up for the principles of global order.
Protests in Dublin warn that unaffordable housing in Gaeltacht areas could spell the death of the Irish language.
Cormac McQuinn reports that an inquiry into spinal care for children is a step closer as a barrister has been appointed for the scoping exercise.
China editor Denis Staunton reports that China has condemned the attacks on Iran but avoided any action that might affect its other relations in region.
Playbook
Dáil Éireann
9am: Topical Issues
10am: Private Members’ Business (Independent and Parties Technical Group): Online Safety (Recommender Algorithms) Bill 2026
12pm: Leaders’ Questions
1.12pm: Bills for Introduction: Bille na dTeangacha Oifigiúla (Ceart Chun an Ghaeilge a Úsáid) (Leasú) 2026 – First Stage
2.17pm: Statement on post office closures
4.42pm: Statement on scoliosis and inquiries
7:07pm:Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) (Amendment) Bill 2026 – Second stage
9.41pm: Public Health (Single-Use Vapes) Bill 2025 – Committee and remaining stages
11.11pm: Deferred Divisions
23.41: Dáil adjourns
Seanad Éireann
12.45pm: Environment (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2025 – Report and final stages
2pm:Copyright and Related Rights (Amendment) Bill 2025 – Report and final stages
3.30pm: Protection of Employees (Employers’ Insolvency) (Amendment) Bill 2025 – Second stage
4.30pm: Statements to mark International Women’s Day
6pm: Statements on special needs assistants
7.15pm: Private Members’ Business: Motion regarding the implementation of the Accelerating Infrastructure Action Plan
9.15pm: Seanad adjourns
Committees
9.30am: Transport
Engagement on pre-legislative scrutiny of general scheme of the Dublin Airport (Passenger Capacity) Bill 2026
9.30am: Health
Access to child and adolescent mental health services
12.30pm: Arts, Media, Sports
Consideration of matter related to Sport Ireland’s role, NGB engagement and also supports for minority sports
12.30pm: Climate Environment and Energy
Pre-legislative scrutiny of the general scheme of the Private Wires Bill
3.30pm: Agriculture and Food
Land availability
3.30pm: European Union Affairs
Engagement on EU enlargement: ambassadors of EU candidate countries
6.30pm: Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform
Role of non-bank entities in the Irish housing market regarding residential mortgages
