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26 Mar 2026
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26 Mar 2026
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Cllrs Elisa O'Donovan and Shane Hickey-O'Mara have reacted the decision to readmit Eoin Hayes to the party
SOCIAL Democrats councillor Elisa O’Donovan says she feels “trust has been broken” as a result of the controversy surrounding Eoin Hayes.
Limerick man Mr Hayes, who was educated at Castletroy College, was suspended from the Social Democrats weeks after being elected in Dublin.
It came after it emerged he waited until after he was elected as a councillor in June 2024 to sell shares he held in Palantir, an American software firm which supplies the Israeli Defence Forces.
READ MORE: Conversion of green space to parking spots in Limerick estate to be examined
His shareholding sparked embarrassment for the party, which called for tougher sanctions on companies profiting from the war in Gaza.
I’ve learnt the hard way in politics but when people show you who they are, believe them. It says a lot that this was all done late on a Friday evening during the Summer recess also. https://t.co/JRzB1vb73h
— Cllr Elisa O'Donovan (@elisaodonovan) July 26, 2025
Since December, Mr Hayes has sat as an Independent TD.
However, late on Friday, the party’s deputy leader Cian O’Callaghan said the suspension had been lifted.
In a comment posted on social media site X, formerly Twitter, Cllr O’Donovan - who came within a few hundred votes of joining Mr Hayes in the Dail last November - wrote: “I’ve learnt the hard way in politics but when people show you who they are, believe them. It says a lot that this was all done late on a Friday evening during the summer recess.”
Contacted by the Leader, she said people within her party need to work together to try and end the conflict.
“This does require building trust and I do think trust has been broken in this instance. I am not afraid to say that publicly as I do not want it to happen again and we, as a party, have to learn how to trust each other so we can stand together for what we know is right,” Cllr O’Donovan said.
Her party colleague, Cllr Shane Hickey-O’Mara said the situation around Mr Hayes has been “damaging” and acknowledged many people “feel understandably let down”.
“As a party, it's crucial that we learn from this and protect the trust we've built with the public because trust is hard-earned and easily lost," he added.
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