Irish MP will not be expelled for wearing blackface, say Social Democrats

Eoin Hayes said he was ‘profoundly sorry’ for wearing blackface at a party in 2009. He is the Social Democrats TD for Dublin Bay South. Photograph: Houses of the Oireachtas

A member of Ireland’s parliament who was pictured in blackface at a 2009 Halloween party will stay on as a member of the Social Democrats, the party leader has said, citing his “unreserved” apology and the fact that the incident took place 16 years ago.

Eoin Hayes, a deputy (TD) for Dublin Bay South, came under fire this week after media published pictures of him dressed up as the then US president, Barack Obama, at a party. At the time, Hayes was the president of the students’ union at University College Cork.