MEP says false claim about Army tanks on streets was "an honest mistake"

Midlands North West MEP Ciaran Mullooly said a false claim which he made in the European Parliament last week about Irish Army tanks being deployed against farmers during fuel price protests was "an honest mistake" and that "there was was no deliberate attempt to misinform anyone".

Speaking at the parliament in Brussels on Thursday morning last, Mr Mullooly said: "I'm watching pictures on my mobile phone of tanks, Army tanks, going into parts of my member State, Ireland, sent there by the Irish Government this morning to remove farmers from the sides of public roads where they are protesting over the price of fuel.

"I'm saying to myself, is this a mature reaction? Should we not be trying to create some dialogue with farmers and show them positivity in terms of what can be achieved in the coming months.

"But no, we're going with a hammer, and I remind the members in this room that this decision was made by the Taoiseach of our country, who will be the president of Europe in July.

"This is his mature judgement - is it? - to go at it with a hammer this morning, sending in the Defence Forces, an Army... for God's sake treat individuals as human beings and do not be sending tanks out to remove farmers from the side of the road. It's disgusting."

While the Defence Forces provided some operational support to Gardai during last week's fuel protests, no tanks were deployed, and Army personnel had no direct involvement with protesters on the streets.

On social media on Thursday, the Defence Forces posted a message saying it was aware of images circulating of members travelling in convoy in armoured personnel carriers.

"We can confirm that these are the personnel of the 128th Infantry Battalion conducting mission readiness exercises ahead of deployment to (Lebanon) next month," it stated.

MEP Mullooly shared this clarification on his own Facebook page in the early hours of Friday morning, writing: "I see my reference to a tank on the streets of Limerick in the European Parliament this morning is still providing a little sideshow for some.

"I was sent the video in good faith by a person in the Mid-West in the middle of our discussion on the fuel crisis in the Agriculture committee this morning.

"An honest mistake was made, there was no deliberate attempt to misinform anyone, and I am pleased to repost the clarification here from the Defences Forces."

Mr Mullooly retired from his role as RTÉ's long-serving Midlands correspondent in 2021, and was elected three years later as an MEP representing Independent Ireland.