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Plan for 300 US jobs pulled amid concern over Sinn Féin stance on Israel
Stormont committee hears US firm shelved Northern Ireland investment amid concerns linked to Sinn Féin’s stance on Israel
A major US multinational pulled plans to create 300 jobs in Northern Ireland amid concerns linked to Sinn Féin’s political positions on Israel, a Stormont committee has heard.
Sinn Féin Economy minister Caoimhe Archibald declined to be drawn on the claim that global financial services firm Cantor Fitzgerald had been preparing to invest in the region, but halted that plan amid concern about her and the party’s stances on certain issues.
DUP MLA Jonathan Buckley made the claim as the minister appeared before members of her Assembly scrutiny committee.
It is understood Mr Buckley was referring to Sinn Féin’s stance on the Israel-Gaza conflict.
Later in the committee hearing, Department for Economy permanent secretary Ian Snowden confirmed that Cantor Fitzgerald had been planning to create up to 300 jobs in Northern Ireland but “unexpectedly” told Ms Archibald it had shelved the idea during a “quite short” meeting in the United States last March.
Sinn Féin is a vocal critic of Israel’s actions in Gaza, and last year the party boycotted traditional St Patrick’s Day events at the White House in protest at President Donald Trump’s support for Israel.
Mr Trump’s secretary of commerce Howard Lutnick is the former chairman and CEO of Cantor Fitzgerald.
Mr Buckley put it to Ms Archibald that positions adopted by her and her party had torpedoed the deal.
“On 9/11, Cantor Fitzgerald lost 658 employees who died in the World Trade Centre,” he said.
“There’s a serious concern that has been brought to me that the positions taken by you and your party may have impacted that decision not to invest.
“So has your department or Invest NI (Stormont’s business support agency) received feedback from any US-based investors expressing concern about your political statements, your public commentary, or reputational issues associated from your political party?”
Responding, Ms Archibald said: “Companies make decisions about why they invest or don’t invest based on their own commercial interests, and I think that’s absolutely a matter for them and, in terms of political positions or otherwise that people might hold, that’s for individuals, it’s for parties to express those as they feel.”
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