Green Party leader Roderic O'Gorman has described the US-Israeli attack on Iran as "an illegal war under international law", saying the situation has "destabilised the Middle East".
Speaking on RTÉ's This Week programme, Deputy O’Gorman said while he is in no way suggesting any support for the Iranian regime, "these attacks aren't about helping Iranians".
Mr O’Gorman said the attacks were designed to distract from domestic political matters in the US and Israel.
He said "there is no plan for what happens" next and that the conflict means there is "absolute uncertainty" for ordinary people in the middle of the crisis.
Social Democrats Defence Spokesperson Sinead Gibney said she believes US President Donald Trump is "doing this for his own enrichment" and that what is happening has little to do with helping ordinary people in Iran.
Deputy Gibney said the US president is also seeking to avoid domestic matters, saying "weapons of mass distraction" are being used.
Asked about the developing situation in Iran, Sinn Féin's Health Spokesperson David Cullinane said, "nobody believes this is for the freedom of the people of Iran".
However, he stressed Ireland must continue to hold its position on neutrality, saying "we have to stand on our own two feet as an independent country" and that "the world needs voices like Ireland, voices of reason".
Deputy Gibney said in her view the Government is "drawing us closer and closer towards NATO" and that "abandoning the triple lock is abandoning the UN".
Responding to the comments, Minister for Enterprise Peter Burke said: "We're not joining NATO", adding that Ireland could no longer ignore the realities of how the UN security council works, saying "the people of Ireland decide what happens".
O'Gorman accuses Govt of 'giving up' on emissions targets
Speaking on the same programme, the Green Party leader was separately asked about his party's annual conference on Saturday, saying he believes the British Green Party's by-election victory this week is a sign of a recovery for the wider green movement.
He rejected Government suggestions that he or his party have been "lecturing" on environmental policy, instead saying "they're [the coalition] not prepared to face the facts" and that "we've seen them retreat and retreat" on climate matters.
He accused the Government of "giving up" on emissions targets and failing to give leadership over environmental issues and added that his party was targeting two upcoming by-elections.
The party lost 11 of its 12 seats at the last general election, leaving Mr O'Gorman as its only remaining TD.
Mr O'Gorman told the RTÉ that the party had improved its internal workings ahead of by-elections later this year in Galway West and Dublin Central.
He said: "I think these by-elections, the biggest impact that they could have is to elect a green TD, because that would completely change the political conversation here, about nature, about climate, two areas we know, and I think everybody recognises that since the Greens have left government, that this government have backpedalled on consistently over the last 12 months."
Mr O'Gorman said he had reflected on his time in the coalition government, where he was children's minister.
He said: "I wish I pushed earlier in terms of reducing childcare costs, and I wish in terms of the migrant crisis and the accommodation crisis that I had to deal with in my department, I wish I'd been tougher with some of the other government departments, particularly the Department of Housing."
The Green Party leader said Taoiseach Micheal Martin and Tanaiste Simon Harris were "not prepared to give leadership" over the climate.
He said: "They're not prepared to face the realities of very significant fines coming to Ireland if we don't meet our targets.
"And they're using that to distract from the fact that on important policies like investment in public transport, like decarbonising our electricity system, they are not pushing forward. They have no interest in these areas.
"We saw the difference the Green Party made in the last government.
"We brought these areas to the very centre of political decision-making in this country, and we've seen retreat after retreat from the new government."
Mr O'Gorman said the Government had already "given up" on meeting 2030 emissions reductions targets.
He said: "I don't know any other government target that it is satisfactory for a minister to give up four years before that target is due.
"It wouldn't be acceptable in housing, it wouldn't be acceptable in terms of health, in terms of waiting times, and yet this Government has given up four years early, and that's to let themselves off the hook."
Additional reporting: PA
