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WE ALL KNOW the saying, ‘there are decades where nothing happens; and there are weeks where decades happen’.
It’s been an even more accelerated timeline for newly elected Social Democrats TD Eoin Hayes.
The new deputy for Dublin Bay South walked out on the plinth of Leinster House with his head held high, ready for his first official press conference as a TD.
Less than five hours later he was suspended from his parliamentary party with immediate effect.
What happened?
Hayes was elected as a TD earlier this month, pipping outgoing Sinn Féin TD Chris Andrews for the final seat in the four-seat constituency.
Hayes, who up until entering politics described himself as a consultant who helps small businesses to grow, first entered politics in June of this year when he was elected as a councillor for the Rathmines-Kimmage area of Dublin City Council.
As a political candidate, and then councillor, Hayes largely remained under the radar until last week when the Irish Daily Mail ran a story about Hayes’ past employment with a US tech firm called Palantir.
What is Palantir?
Palantir Technologies is a secretive US company co-founded by billionaire Peter Thiel that specialises in national security and law enforcement.
The firm provides militaries, including the Israeli Defence Forces, with artificial intelligence (AI) models used in battlegrounds to help identify targets.
Its software has been used by Israel to identify targets in Gaza.
In addition to its military AI models, the company, created in Silicon Valley, has argued that its tech platform helps catch terrorists and keep people safe.
But some activists argue that Palantir’s technology – which scoops up financial records, social media posts, call records and internet records – enables unprecedented opportunities for mass surveillance with little oversight on privacy and fundamental rights.
How does this relate to Eoin Hayes and the Social Democrats?
Hayes worked for the firm from 2015 to 2017. His LinkedIn profile states that he worked in “strategy (commercial)”.
Until recently, Hayes continued to hold shares in the firm, something that he disclosed in his declaration of assets upon being elected as a councillor in June.
In his declaration – which was erroneously signed June 2024 but which a spokesperson for the Social Democrats clarified this afternoon was actually signed in July 2024 – Hayes stated that he divested the shares “within the last 12 months”.
This brings us to this morning, when the Social Democrats had arranged their first media appearance on the plinth at Leinster House following the election.
During the media doorstep, Hayes was repeatedly asked by reporters when he sold his shares in Palantir and how much he sold them for. He repeatedly refused to give an answer on when exactly he sold them.
Instead, when continuously pushed on the matter, Hayes told reporters that he sold the shares before he entered politics.
“As soon as I became aware that Israel had very close relationships with that company I divested,” Hayes told reporters earlier.
However, in a statement sent by the Social Democrats just before 3pm this afternoon, Hayes clarified that what he told reporters this morning was “not true”.
Hayes went on to apologise and said that he actually sold his shares in July 2024, a month after he was elected as a councillor.
He also stated that he sold the shares for a pre-tax figure of €199,000.
What happened next?
Shortly after this statement was issued by Hayes and the party, another statement was issued, this time by deputy party leader Cian O’Callaghan.
Shortly after 4pm, Eoin Hayes was suspended from the parliamentary party with immediate effect.
O’Callaghan, who had stood beside Hayes earlier in the day and said he was satisfied with his answers, said in the statement: “At a press conference today, Eoin Hayes stated he had sold shares in Palantir before he entered politics. This was not true. Eoin was first elected to Dublin City Council in June 2024 and the shares were sold in July 2024.
“This is a serious matter. It is imperative that the media, who hold politicians to account on behalf of the public, can rely on the information they receive from elected representatives.
“For that reason, Eoin Hayes has been suspended from the Social Democrats parliamentary party with immediate effect.”
Where will this go next?
It is unclear for now how long Hayes’ suspension will be in place for.
His suspension from the parliamentary party does not impact his role as a TD and he remains a TD for Dublin Bay South.
TDs from other political parties have already started to call for his scalp, with Sinn Féin TD Matt Carthy this evening saying that Hayes’ should resign as a TD.
For the Social Democrats, a number of questions remain outstanding from this embarrassing affair.
Among these, is a question mark over the party’s selection criteria and background checking of candidates.
What questions were asked by the party of Hayes and when – both before and after the Mail published its story on the shares?
The Journal has asked the Social Democrats these questions, but has not yet received a response.
Includes reporting from PA and AFP.
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