Tánaiste urges FAI to ‘bring clarity’ to Ireland vs Israel match venue row
The Tánaiste has urged the FAI to “bring clarity” over the prospect of Ireland’s controversial home fixture against Israel being moved to a neutral venue.
Simon Harris’s comments came as the Football Association of Ireland issued a statement on Monday saying its board was continuing to meet to “discuss the operational aspects” of hosting the men’s international Nations League football fixture, which is due to be played in Dublin’s Aviva Stadium on October 4th.
The FAI said it was also engaging with European football’s governing body Uefa on the issue and said a further statement would be issued after the board meets again on Thursday.
Amid the prospect of major protests around the game and mounting calls for a boycott of the match because of Israel’s ongoing military operations in the Middle East, there is speculation the FAI may seek to have the game played in a different European country.
Sinn Féin and the Social Democrats are tabling separate motions in the Dáil this week calling for the game to be called off.
In response to suggestions the fixture could be moved out of Ireland, both parties made clear on Monday evening that changing the venue was not enough, and the match should not be played at all.
Speaking on the Monday With Gavan Reilly programme on Virgin Media, the Tánaiste said the decision was neither a matter for the players or for government. He said the responsibility lay with the FAI.
“This is nothing to do with the players, and there should be no pressure applied to the players who play with distinction wearing our national jersey – let’s all agree on that,” he said.
“Secondly, though, it’s not a matter for the Government. And that’s not just my view, it’s a legal, factual view. The FAI board, as recently as this evening, and their statement … have made it very clear that it is a matter solely for the FAI.
“So I respect, obviously, the work of the Oireachtas. People can table whatever motions they want, but a vote in Dáil Éireann will not have any impact here.
“What will, though, is a decision by the FAI board, and I really encourage the FAI to come to that decision this week to bring clarity to the matter. This shouldn’t drag on and on. So, I hope this week will, for once and for all, see clarity in relation to this.”
Harris rejected any suggestion that moving the game would damage Ireland’s reputation internationally or provide supporting evidence to critics who have already characterised the country’s approach to Israel as antisemitic.
“Antisemitism is a scourge, it’s a disgusting scourge, and we must all, in every country, do everything we possibly can to tackle it – to tackle it and to address it,” he said.
“And I’ve met many members of the Jewish community in Ireland in relation to that, and we need to continue to do more as a country, as a European Union, as a world in relation to that.
“We always need to be very careful to differentiate between the actions of a government and citizens.
“No citizen is accountable for the actions of their government, and I’m sure there’s many, many, many people in Israel who are disgusted by the actions of the Israeli government too. And I think it’s always important we differentiate.
“But, in relation to soccer, the rules are very clear – the FAI board needs to make a decision, and I think they should do that this week.”
In a statement on Monday, the FAI said: “In response to the high volume of media queries related to the topic of our upcoming Uefa Nations League fixtures versus Israel, the Football Association of Ireland (FAI) can confirm that the board of the FAI continue to meet to discuss the operational aspects of hosting the home fixture, alongside ongoing discussions with Uefa.
“The FAI will not be releasing a statement on any decision on this matter until after the board meeting scheduled for June 11, due to the hugely significant game taking place on Tuesday for our Ireland Women’s National Team, where a victory against France will secure direct qualification for a second successive Fifa Women’s World Cup, which would be a landmark moment for the team and Irish sport.
“The association reiterates that it is the responsibility of the board of the FAI to protect the future interests of football in Ireland. Any decision around the game is solely a matter for the association.”
Sinn Féin president Mary Lou McDonald insisted that the venue for the match was not the primary issue.
Posting on social media, she said: “Ireland must not play Israel at any venue – moving the game doesn’t address the reality that Israel is committing genocide against the Palestinian people.”
Social Democrats TD Sinead Gibney also said the game should not be played at all.
“Moving the fixture to another country, possibly Hungary, is an attempt to brush this controversy under the rug and will deny people in Ireland an opportunity to engage in peaceful protest,” she said.
“What’s at stake here is far bigger than a football match. Israel is engaged in a genocide in Palestine and ethnic cleansing in Lebanon.
“Ireland should not be facilitating the sportswashing of a rogue nation which has been committing war crimes for nearly three years.
“I am also very concerned about the pressure that this decision will put on the players, and I would again appeal to the Government and the FAI to intervene.”
The Israeli government has repeatedly rejected claims that its offensive in Gaza amounts to a genocide and has also defended its military actions in Lebanon.
