PEOPLE BEFORE PROFIT TDs are to boycott US President Joe Biden’s speech in the Dáil on Thursday. 

The party states the boycott is in protest against America’s record on Palestine, Iraq and NATO expansion.

TDs are also boycotting the speech due to political parties not being allowed to make contributions or ask questions of the president. 

During the visit of EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen last year, People Before Profit TD Richard Boyd Barrett used his speaking time to call out Europe for “remaining silent” on the actions taken by Israel in Palestine.

Instead of sanctions for Israel, we give them favoured trade deals and deepen their relationship with the EU, Boyd Barrett said in his speech. 

At the end of last month, when the details of the Biden visit emerged, Boyd Barrett told The Journal: “We will be asking in the strongest terms to Joe Biden, why does he continue to support the apartheid state of Israel?”

Treatment of Palestinians

In a statement this afternoon on Thursday’s boycott, Boyd Barrett said Biden needs to be forcefully challenged “over his long-standing and unconditional support for the apartheid regime in Israel and its brutal and criminal treatment of Palestinians”.

He said questions must also be asked about the US invasion and occupation of Iraq, the promotion of NATO expansion and the “double-standards” of US foreign policy globally.

People Before Profit said they would attend the special Dáil sitting on Thursday if an opportunity was afforded to opposition parties to make statements or ask questions after the president’s speech.

The event is a “pointless charade and propaganda exercise for the US President”, said Boyd Barrett.

He accused the Irish government of allowing Biden use the Dáil as a “political soapbox”. 

Boyd Barrett said there has also been a “dangerous escalation” of military and arms competition with Russia and China, which is a policy that “threatens the unthinkable possibility of nuclear confrontation between the big global powers”.

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“Of course, we all condemn the utterly barbaric and unjustifiable invasion and occupation of Ukraine by Putin, but it is equally clear that NATO and Biden are enthusiastically exploiting the terrible situation in Ukraine to expand NATO, strengthen US influence and accelerate the process of EU militarisation,” he said. 

Biden is being “insulated” by the government from “any critical questioning” in the Dáil, he added. 

He urged the public to attend a protest against Biden’s policies which is taking place at the GPO tomorrow at 5pm. 

Over the coming days, the US President will make his way to Belfast, Dublin, Louth and Mayo as part of the visit.

Air Force One is due to touch down at around 9pm this evening, where UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak will greet him on the tarmac.

He’s then due to travel to Louth tomorrow afternoon, with visits to both Carlingford and Dundalk planned.