... as Luas operator is criticised over rail line in same location
Related Articles
Dublin City Council has been called upon to cut all ties with the company that operates the Luas.
Veolia, the multinational which runs Dublin's light railway system for the government's Railway Procurement Agency, has come under fire for its operations in East Jerusalem.
The French giant has been criticised for its part in building a light railway almost identical to the Luas in the disputed territory, which will service controversial Israeli settlements.
Around 60 protesters outside city hall at this week's Dublin City Council meeting accused Veolia of contributing to what they say is "Israeli apartheid" in the region.
Although Galway City Council and Sligo County Council last year moved to sever their links with the corporation it is unclear whether Dublin City Council will follow suit.
Veolia lost its 2009 bid to run Dublin City Council's Metro North Project which is worth €4.6bn.
However, Veolia may still end up running the project because it has recently merged with Transdev, one of the two companies in line for the lucrative contract.
People Before Profit Councillor Joan Collins called for City Manager John Tierney not to renew any of the existing contracts or sign any new contracts with Veolia, who run several public and private waste, water and energy services across the country.
She tabled a motion calling for the council to recognise that Veolia's involvement in the building and transport projects in East Jerusalem is "in breach of the UN's demand that Israeli settlement activities should not be supported".
However, Councillor Collins' motion didn't make it into the discussions at last night's meeting.
abuses
Members of the Ireland-Palestine Solidarity Campaign called on the city council to immediately stop all of its dealings with Veolia. They issued a statement which stated that "Veolia should not be profiting from ongoing human rights' abuses of the Palestinian people."
In 2006, Trade Union ICTU urged Veolia to cancel plans to train Israeli drivers and engineers in Ireland. They were to be trained on the Luas to work on the one being constructed in Jerusalem.
hnews@herald.ie
- Maeve Galvin
