4. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Finance further to Parliamentary Question No. 95 of 4 July 2024, the timeline for the NTMA to fully divest from all Ireland Strategic Investment Fund, ISIF, global portfolio investments in companies on the UN Human Rights Council database of business enterprises; the details of the ISIF’s direct investments in companies on the UN database totalling €4.2 million; the details of the ISIF’s indirect investments in eight companies on the UN database totalling €9.4 million; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15674/25]

Sentiment score: -0.07

As the Minister knows, for more than eight years, the UN has maintained a database of businesses involved in specific activities in the occupied Palestinian territories. I followed my original question up with a number of questions. What is the timeline for the NTMA to fully divest from all of Ireland's strategic investment and global portfolio investments on that UN list and the details of ISIF's direct and indirect investments into the companies on same?

Sentiment score: 0.13

I thank the Minister. I will look at those figures and I appreciate his answer. I respect the NTMA and the subgroup. I was on the public accounts committee and remember the NTMA's proactive approach to divestment from fossil fuels and to former Deputy Thomas Pringle's Bill. I welcome that, and the NTMA grasped the nettle when the time came. The Minister listed several Israeli banks and a retail chain. It is welcome that we have divested from them, but we are still investing. In the overall scheme, it is a small sum of money, but we are still investing in companies and banks in territories that are illegally occupied. I want to know the timeline of when we will divest directly and indirectly from those companies, given our stance on Palestine.

Sentiment score: 0.27

In a previous answer, I was told by the former Minister for Finance: "My officials are in contact with the NTMA on an ongoing basis across a range of issues, including those arising from the Illegal Israeli Settlements Divestment Bill 2023." I fully understand ISIF is independent but there is a policy issue in respect of illegal occupation. The Minister admits and accepts there is a country committing genocide and that we are investing in its trading companies. We still have a sizable proportion, albeit not in the overall scheme of things. Direct and indirect, it comes to more than €10 million. To bring home and put focus on what we are talking about, this refers to: the supply of surveillance and identification equipment for settlements; the wall and checkpoints directly linked with settlements; and the supply of equipment and materials facilitating the construction and expansion of settlements. This is the list drawn up by the UN more than eight years ago to say we should not be investing in those companies. I appreciate the Minister is making the case it is a small percentage, but it is morally significant, not to mention the genocide taking place.

Sentiment score: 0.04