Sinn Féin spokesperson on Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Louise O’Reilly TD, has contacted Minister Simon Coveney regarding recent reports of the alleged dismissal of a worker for comments made on social media criticising the Israeli state.

Teachta O’Reilly said:

“I was compelled to reach out to the Minister for Enterprise, Trade, and Employment regarding recent reports of the alleged dismissal of a worker for comments they made on social media criticising the Israeli state.

“Furthermore, concern has also been expressed of the possibility of workers being censured in the workplace for expressing views, online and outside of the workplace, regarding the conflict in the Middle East in a manner that is non-discriminatory, inoffensive, and neither Islamophobic nor antisemitic.

“However, it would be remiss of me not to add that concerns regarding attempts at censure relate to workers expressing solidarity with the Palestinian people. It must also be stated, and reinforced, that criticism of the actions of the Israeli state and army is not antisemitic.

“While workers can take cases for unfair dismissal to the Workplace Relations Commission, there are no mechanisms within the current industrial relations machinery to preclude employers from attempting to censure workers for legitimate non-discriminatory political views, expressed outside of the workplace, and this leaves workers in a vulnerable position.

“I brought these matters to the attention of the Minister as they constitute a very worrying development, especially when we look across Europe where there are numerous reports of workers being reprimanded for expressing support for the Palestinian people.

“I have raised these matters in the spirt of cooperation as it may be worthwhile for the Minister and Department of Enterprise to investigate what additional protections are required for workers.”