Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 10 February 2026
231. Deputy Cathy Bennett asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance if he will outline the progress he has made with regard to divesting State monies from companies which derive profits from their activities in the occupied Palestinian territories. [10076/26]
View answerI take it that the Deputy is referring to the Ireland Strategic Investment Fund (ISIF) and to the UN Human Rights Council database (the UN Database) identifying businesses involved in specific activities in the Occupied Palestinian Territories which was first issued in 2020, updated in June 2023 and most recently updated in September 2025 as mandated by the UN Human Rights Council.
In 2024 ISIF took an investment decision to divest from six companies, all of which remain on the updated UN Database, with a total value at the time of the divestment decision of approximately €2.95m. The six companies were Bank Hapoalim BM; Bank Leumi-le Israel BM; Israel Discount Bank Ltd; Mizrahi Tefahot Bank Ltd; First International Bank Ltd and Rami Levi Chain Stores Ltd.
ISIF has, to date, completed several divestment programmes and excluded investments from the Fund. Exclusion is used on a limited basis, reflecting exclusions mandated by legislation including the Fossil Fuel Divestment Act 2018 and the Cluster Munitions and Anti-Personnel Mines Act 2008 and, inter alia, exclusions on sustainable investment grounds including Tobacco and Nuclear Weapons.
I have been informed that ISIF will continue to monitor its holdings to ensure that investments remain aligned with its risk profile and investment parameters but it does not comment on individual investments.
