Today, Ireland is a country that is counting on the cost and consequences of abandoning its ideals for economic gain. Since 26 of its 32 counties were freed from British rule more than 100 years ago, Ireland has moved away from its socialist roots and embraced neoliberalism. This change in ideology paved the way for it to become one of the wealthiest countries in Europe but it also left it unable to adhere to some of its main principles shaped with the country's struggle for centuries against occupation and oppression.
Over the years, Ireland has done everything in its power to make itself attractive to large multinational companies. Its low corporate tax, along with its status as the only English-speaking country in the European Union, has made it a haven for foreign direct investment. The American Chamber of Commerce recently named it a “global center of choice for talent and innovation”. Its corporate tax revenue – including the $14bn it recently received from Apple – has filled the country's coffers.
Ireland has made the economy its main focus and built great wealth as a result. But he also seems to have lost something important in the process: the freedom to fully stand up for his conviction on the world stage.
Ireland owes much of its economic success to the United States. Today more than 960 US corporations do business and run their global or regional books through the country. These companies directly employ over 210,000 Irish citizens and indirectly support another 168,000 Irish jobs – which together amount to around 15 per cent of the Irish workforce. Just 10 multinational companies – all US-based tech and pharmaceutical companies – accounted for 60 per cent of Ireland's corporation tax revenue in 2022.
There is no question that Ireland is economically dependent on the US, but does this mean that it is also politically dependent? Does its disproportionate interest in its economy give the US disproportionate power over Ireland's geopolitical strategy?
The stubborn refusal of the Irish state to do everything it can to oppose the ongoing US-funded and aided war in Gaza, despite recognizing the unwavering support of the majority of Irish people for Palestinians and the liberation struggle, tells us that the answer to both is yes. the questions are really good.
On the surface, all political groups in Ireland have strong support, including Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael – who have governed Ireland since independence, and are expected to form another coalition government. after securing 40 percent of the vote in last month's general election. -Palestine testimonies that are in accordance with the public conviction.
At a pre-election debate on November 18, the country's leading politicians across the political spectrum made it clear that they understand where Irish people stand on the Palestinian issue. All of them enthusiastically pledged their commitment to supporting Palestine and helping it resist Israel's efforts to continue and expand its illegal occupation of its land in every way they can. But the moment of unity quickly broke when those opposed pointed out the elephant in the room: Ireland has not done everything to support Palestine.
Micheal Martin, a Fianna Fáil politician who has been Tánaiste (deputy prime minister), Minister for Foreign Affairs, and Minister for Defense since December 2022, tried to talk about Ireland's history on the issue, which ' explain how his government has recognized the state of Palestine, increased funding to UNRWA at a time when other countries were withdrawing funds, and supported South Africa's genocide case against Israel at the ICJ. He also confirmed his government's friendly relations with Palestinian leaders to defend his position, saying that the Palestinian Authority is satisfied with the support it receives from Ireland.
Opposition leaders were quick to jump. Richard Boyd Barrett, leader of the left-wing People Before Profit party, delivered the most memorable hits. He pointed out that Ireland allows US weapons destined for Israel to pass through Irish airspace and that the Central Bank of Ireland continues to sell war bonds Israel while engaging in what the ICJ described as a “plausible genocide” in Gaza. He also questioned why the government has not yet adopted the Property Lands Bill 2018, which would see an end to all trade between Ireland and illegal Israeli settlements on Palestinian land.
Representatives from the outgoing government – which is expected to form a new coalition government any day now – have given no reason why they have blocked the bill again since it was introduced. -first entered at least six years ago. They said, however, that after the ICJ's decision in July that Israel is indeed an illegal resident guilty of apartheid, they are now ready to act, and if elected back in office, they plan to renew and approve the bill. They offered no defense for the central bank's sale of Israel's war bonds or the US's use of Irish aircraft to transport bombs and other weapons to Israel.
The debate was a moment in which the different circumstances of all Ireland came together in one enlightening vision. Ireland is a natural ally of Palestine. Irish people see in Israel's occupation of Palestine and the ongoing brutal attack on Gaza their own history of living under British occupation and facing unrelenting colonial violence. However, the Irish state is not able, or perhaps more precisely it is not willing, to do everything it can to stand up to Palestine and support its freedom struggle.
The debate exposed the contradictions between the Irish government's words and actions and highlighted the cost and consequences of Ireland's economic dependence on the US.
The part of the debate on Palestinian solidarity raised relevant questions: what is stopping Ireland from doing what it can for Palestine? Could it be that Ireland, receiving around 60 percent of its corporate tax from 10 US multinationals, finds itself in a position to take a strong stand against Israel as all actions her, including the war against Gaza, receiving full support from the US?
More importantly, what is the true cost of the US investment in Ireland? A lot, it seems. And perhaps more than many people in Ireland understand, are comfortable with it, or want to face it.
Ireland's unequivocal support for Israel and by extension its current attack on Palestine goes beyond what was announced by the left-wing opposition parties at the November 18 debate. Research by Uplift, an independent campaign group based in Ireland, revealed that Ireland increased its dual-use exports to Israel by a factor of nearly seven and also doubled its military contracts for drone service with the Israeli military. from the last war onwards. Gaza began after the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023.
To the observer, it is clear that Ireland is playing both sides of an issue that does not have two sides. As Amnesty International also confirmed in a detailed report, and the Irish government admits again, Israel is committing genocide in Gaza. The law is clear on genocide. All signatories to the Genocide Convention, and Ireland is one, have a responsibility to prevent and punish genocide.
Unfortunately, Ireland does not do that.
So today, as Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael begin their formal negotiations to form another coalition government, there is a lot of soul-searching to be done in Ireland. It is increasingly difficult to deny that the country is paying a hidden tax, in the form of being forced to weaken the anti-colonial principles, in order to increase the economic support and investment she gets from the United States to maintain. As the destruction of Palestine with the full support of Ireland's main investor continues, the people of Ireland must decide if they are really happy with this state of affairs. If not, the next time they are at the ballot box, they should vote strategically to wrest power from the two parties that have put the country on this neoliberal path, that has moved away from its socialist roots, and as a result, dragged out. his shows of solidarity with the oppressed around the globe. This is perhaps the most important decision the Irish people will have to make – because the very soul of Ireland is at stake.
The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the editorial position of Al Jazeera.
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