Concerns over IDA plans to hire business development consultant in Israel

'State agencies cannot engage with Israel in the same way they do with other countries,' said Sinn Féin TD Matt Carthy. Picture: Gareth Chaney/ Collins

Concerns have been raised over plans by IDA Ireland to hire a business development consultant in Israel, as part of efforts to attract Israeli companies to Ireland.

Enterprise Minister Simon Coveney confirmed that IDA Ireland is seeking to hire a part-time consultant to operate in Israel to win foreign direct investment.

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In response to a parliamentary question from Independent TD Catherine Connolly, Mr Coveney said the IDA does not currently have staff working in Israel but that a tender was issued in June.

Independent TD Catherine Connolly. Picture: Collins Photos

According to the tender, the successful applicant will have a 36-month contract with IDA Ireland and will be paid €210,000 for the duration.

Mr Coveney confirmed that IDA Ireland will not seek to attract companies that operate within occupied Palestinian territories.

“I also wish to advise the Deputy that IDA Ireland will not target any Israeli company included on the database of enterprises involved in certain activities relating to settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory as published by the UN in February 2020,” said Mr Coveney.

'Further clarification'

However, concerns have been raised by Sinn Féin, with the party’s foreign affairs spokesperson Matt Carthy saying they will be seeking “further clarification” over the timing of the plan.

It comes after the Israeli military concluded military operations in the Jenin refugee camp in the West Bank, with 13 Palestinians and one Israeli soldier killed in the fighting.

Mr Carthy said the “minimum requirement” for IDA Ireland to engage with Israel would be to not work with companies who are included on the existing UN database.

“State agencies cannot engage with Israel in the same way they do with other countries,” said Mr Carthy.

Mr Carthy said he would be seeking engagement with IDA Ireland over the matter.

In a statement, IDA Ireland said that employing a consultant in Israel is part of efforts to win investment from the country.

“IDA is seeking a business development consultant to represent IDA in Israel at this time in order to have a presence on the ground to complement and support our efforts from Ireland to win new investment," the statement read. 

This is a model we use across all territories.

“In recent years, Ireland has won investments from Israeli companies in the life sciences, technology and business services sectors, and we aim to build on this investment base.”

IDA Ireland had previously contracted a business development consultant to work in Israel.

'Dangerous ideas'

Meanwhile, Tánaiste Micheál Martin said he believed the existing two-state solution for Israel and Palestine was becoming “increasingly unviable”.

“What is happening in this case is a shocking escalation of violence by a government that has moved, perceptibly and obviously, to the far right in its composition, and there are very dangerous ideas within that government.”

Speaking in the Dáil, Mr Martin indicated that the Government would not recognise the state of Palestine without the support of other EU countries.

Responding to questions from Mr Carthy, Mr Martin questioned what impact it would have if only Ireland recognised Palestine.

“There is a strong argument that having a stronger, collective voice with a number of significant EU member states and others, if we join forces and collectively recognise the state of Palestine, that would be far more impactful than one country going it alone,” said Mr Martin.