*Junior Minister Timmy Dooley (FF). Photograph: Eamon Ward.
CLARE TD and Junior Minister, Timmy Dooley (FF) has said the Republic of Ireland’s UEFA Nations League game against Israel should go ahead in Dublin.
Heimir Hallgrímsson’s Republic of Ireland side have been drawn in Group B3 of the UEFA Nations League alongside Kosovo, Israel and Austria.
Games between Ireland and Israel and scheduled to be held in September and October. The away fixture will take place on 27 September, while the return leg in Dublin is scheduled for 4 October. The FAI said in a statement on Sunday that it intends to fulfil the fixtures.
Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food, Fisheries and the Marine and Minister of State at the Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment, Dooley said the games versus Israel should go ahead and backed the call for the second leg to be played in Dublin.
Government figures have suggested a neutral venue might be a better option with Minister for Further and Higher Education, James Lawless (FF) of the view such a setting “makes more sense”.
An Garda Síochána have raised concerns about policing the fixture while Sinn Féin have said the FAI should give Israel “the red card” and not fulfil the fixtures.
Speaking at a press conference on Monday, Dooley maintained that the games should proceed. He said Ireland has been “steadfast” in criticising Israeli actions in Gaza and had taken the view there should be a two-state solution. He added, “I think it’s a challenge for the FAI for sure but I think the game should go ahead”.
When asked about the concerns raised by Gardaí for hosting the fixture in Dublin, Dooley stated, “The Gardaí will rightly identify the security issues in relation to any event but I think as a State, we should be capable of providing that level of security. Yes, it’s a challenge, but I think it should be possible”.
