Antisemitism and the recent increase in both antisemitism and Holocaust denial are a matter of great concern to my Department.
I was pleased to have the opportunity to visit Israel recently and to reaffirm Ireland’s strong commitment to Holocaust remembrance and to combatting antisemitism during my visit to Yad Vashem.
I am committed to continued engagement on the issue of antisemitism through multilateral fora and to assisting with commitments undertaken in, for example, the context of the European Commission’s Strategy for Combatting Antisemitism and Fostering Jewish Life. This includes the appointment of a national coordinator for the Strategy's implementation.
I welcomed the opportunity to meet with the Jewish Representative Council of Ireland in July and officials in my Department are in regular contact with the JRCI.
Ireland supports initiatives at the UN dedicated to combating antisemitism, including through co-sponsoring the UN General Assembly resolution on Holocaust denial and supporting UN Human Rights Council initiatives on combating antisemitism. Through our Embassy in Poland, Ireland has funded the work of the Auschwitz-Birkenau Foundation since 2013. Our Mission network strongly supports Holocaust Remembrance work across the world.
Ireland is an active member of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA), and we share its commitment to strengthening, advancing and promoting Holocaust education, research and remembrance. My Department also supports expert engagement in the work of the IHRA, including by Holocaust Education Ireland.
With regard to the IHRA definition of antisemitism, Ireland indicated its position at the time that the definition was adopted: namely, that while we have no issue with the core definition, we have concerns about the illustrative examples which accompany the definition. Ireland continues to keep the question of adopting the IHRA definition under active review, including through consultation with key stakeholders.
Ireland’s priority, whether domestically or at international fora, is to ensure that all measures taken to combat antisemitism and Holocaust denial and distortion are meaningful and effective, and our commitment is steadfast in this regard.
