Wix Controversy: Taoiseach Leo Varadkar says he would seek legal advice if dismissed by firm for political views

Leo Varadkar has today said it is ‘wrong’ to be fired for political views, after the Israeli firm Wix sacked a Dublin woman for a post on LinkedIn calling Israel a 'terrorist state'.

A 26 year old Irish woman, Courtney Carey was dismissed from her job with Wix, an Israeli website design company, after posting and sharing content online expressing support for Palestine in the ongoing the Israel-Hamas conflict.

Speaking in the Dáil, Solidarity TD Mick Barry for Cork North Central, raised the dismissal of Courtney Carey from her role as a customer care team leader at Wix.

Wix currently employs over 500 people in Dublin alone.

Mr Barry said: “She commented online about what she described correctly as the indiscriminate bombing of Gaza. She was fired from her job for doing so. I am calling on the Irish Congress of Trade Unions to speak out on this case."

Mr Barry continued: "It could have a chilling effect on thousands of workers in this country who wish to speak out against a brutal war."

In a statement published on LinkedIn on Monday, company president Nir Zohar said Wix had “decided to part ways” with Ms Carey.

The CEO of Wix said that they "would never try to limit someone's political views" but that Ms Carey's statements "harmed our Israeli team's spirit" and that these comments "threaten our great connection with our Dublin offices."

In response, Mr Varadkar said he did not know the details or facts of the case and therefore could not pass judgment.

However, he added: “Under Irish employment law, it is not okay to dismiss somebody because of their political views.

“I believe that to be wrong and would encourage the woman concerned to seek advice, whether from the WRC [Workplace Relations Commission], a trade union or a solicitor, because it may well constitute wrongful dismissal and there are remedies that would then apply."

Ms Carey told the Irish Times she was "absolutely" considering taking an unfair dismissal case to the Workplace Relations Commission.

Elsewhere, Tánaiste Micheál Martin told reporters he had not seen the posts, but said it would be “unacceptable” for someone to be fired for sharing a viewpoint if it did not call for violence.

Speaking at the Global Ireland Summit in Dublin, Mr Martin said: “Employees generally should be allowed their individual viewpoints. We live in a democracy here, we tolerate debate, freedom of speech and freedom of opinion.

“People are entitled to different perspectives," he added, "once they don’t advocate for violence in pursuit of those objectives.

“We uphold the right of people for freedom of expression.”