Eoin Hayes is set to stay in the Social Democrats parliamentary party despite fresh controversy surrounding the Dublin Bay South TD as a result of a “blackface” incident 16 years ago.
There are indications, however, of some unrest as two Dublin activists have left the party, in part due to the situation with Mr Hayes.
Party leader Holly Cairns – who has returned from maternity leave – was on the defensive as she was quizzed by reporters about the new storm over Mr Hayes as the party held its think-in meeting on Tuesday.
On Monday evening Mr Hayes issued an apology for wearing brown make-up on his face and hands while dressed up as former US president Barack Obama for a Halloween party.
READ MORE
It happened while Mr Hayes was president of the Students’ Union at University College Cork.
He said: “While I didn’t have an understanding of how hurtful it was at the time, I came to recognise that in the intervening years and I am so profoundly sorry.
“What I did was completely inappropriate and a huge mistake.”
Blackface is a historical practice that is seen as racist and considered deeply offensive.
It commonly refers to when a person, typically with white skin, paints their face darker to resemble a black person and dates back to a time when black people were mocked for the entertainment of white people promoting negative stereotypes.
On Tuesday morning, Ms Cairns said: “there is no circumstances where blackface is okay. It is racist”, adding she was glad Mr Hayes had “issued an unreserved apology”.
Asked if Mr Hayes could be suspended from the parliamentary party, Ms Cairns said: “If this situation had arisen last week, or even last year, he would no longer be a Social Democrats TD.
“Giving consideration to the fact that this was 16 years ago, he was president of the Students Union at the time, I think that gives context to the situation.”
Pressed on whether he will face any disciplinary action, she again said what happened was 16 years ago adding “in that context, no”.
She stopped short of saying she has forgiven Mr Hayes, but said: “I think he deserves an opportunity to work hard now and to try to regain people’s trust.”
Mr Hayes was previously suspended from the Social Democrats parliamentary party after it emerged he had issued misleading information about when he sold shares in Palantir, a company linked to the Israeli military.
He was readmitted to the parliamentary party over the summer and he donated more than €43,000 to aid organisations working in Gaza, a sum that he said reflected the increase in the value of the shares he held over the course of Israel’s offensive in Gaza.
Local election candidate and chairman of the party’s branch in Dublin West, Luke Daly, and his partner and party secretary in the constituency, Jack O’Reilly, have left the Social Democrats.
Mr Daly cited the situation with Mr Hayes as part of the reason he was leaving, although he said he made the decision before the latest controversy arose on Monday.
His resignation was announced in social media posts that said: “After tonight’s developments of a Social Democrats TD announcing they participated in black-face, now is as good a time as any to inform folks that both my partner (secretary) and I (chairperson) have terminated our membership”.
While praising Ms Cairns and other former party colleagues, Mr Daly also said he had told party headquarters of the “need for stronger support for branches” with party headquarters as well as “raised concerns about Deputy Hayes’ suspension and return, though I respect the accountability he has shown”.
