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IRELAND NEEDS TO re-examine its neutral status as Britain moves closer to leaving the European Union (EU), Fine Gael MEP Brian Hayes has said.
Hayes made the comments following European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker’s annual state of the union address at the European Parliament in Strasbourg today.
In his speech, Juncker pushed for the EU to implement plans for a common defence strategy — what critics call an “EU army”.
He proposed a European intelligence unit to ensure the automatic sharing of data on suspected jihadists, and for a planned European prosecutor’s office to be able to pursue those involved in cross-border terrorist transactions.
Juncker also proposed the creation of a European cybersecurity agency to defend against a growing threat he warns is more dangerous to democratic and economic stability than conventional war.
Cybersecurity and terrorism
Speaking to EuroParlRadio after the address, Hayes said Ireland’s neutrality needs to be looked at.
The threats now aren’t threats of armies or tanks rolling into one country. The threats now are cybersecurity, jihadist terrorism.
“They’re the new threats and I think the discussion on the future of Europe at home and here allows us an opportunity to look again at our defence commitments, to look again at our security and to look at how we can … be a more effective and a more integrated tool of policy within the European Union.
“We helped build this thing called Europe. We’re one of the oldest, most grown up, wealthiest members of this club. We’ve got to defend it too in my view and I think we need to look at this policy, especially now that Britain are leaving the European Union,” Hayes stated.
Juncker dealt with Brexit in fewer than 100 words in his speech, saying Britain and the EU would “regret” the decision but that the EU must not be held back.
Sinn Féin MEP Matt Carthy criticised Juncker’s speech, saying: “He recommends that EU goes further down the road of neoliberal policies and away from a more social and democratic Europe. This will see the creation of an EU army, more dangerous trade deals, increased liberalisation of key utilities and less democratic oversight.
“It is a charter for an EU driven by the interests of large multinational corporations and dominated by the larger states. This will inevitably result in further alienation from the EU by member states and citizens and further political instability,” Carthy said.
Contains reporting from © AFP 2017
I don’t like most politicians but I really don’t like Brian Hayes.
@Jane: The words “lick” and “arse” come to mind !
@Jane:
Sounds like he’s advocating increased terrorism, criminal and cyber-crime co-operation in the EU. Are we really “neutral” when it comes to those things? Only if you’re a bit childishly naive.
@Jane: Hayes was unfortunately our TD who did nothing in our area, and then got promoted to a fat salary and pension in Europe, because enda wanted rid of him.
@Frank Cauldhame: Ya forgot “smarmy” & “toerag”, Frank.
@Fred Jensen: You’re known as a bit of a Hitler round these parts, your view on this issue adds to that perception.
@Joe: plus a whole lot more Joe !
@Joe: “Small man syndrome” is another…….
@Jane: An odious,smarmy Europhile that shouldn’t be trusted in any way,shape or form. This smug a $$hole would have us in an all Europe army in a blink.
@Fred Jensen: he’s proposing us compromising our neutrality through a back door…we share information on terrorism as it stands. This guy is a dangerous individual
@Jane: Hayes is just a venal little turd full of his own self importance.
@Pat Troy: he’s an MEP. He was elected. Not appointed.
@Hurt Stoogie: what ever he is he is no military strategist, so perhaps he should stick to what he is good at, filling in expenses forms!
I’m old enough to remember when Nigel Farage was dismissed as a conspiracy theorist for warning of the EU’s desire for a pan European military.
The Guardian: “Claims from the leave side about moves to unify Europe’s armed forces are nothing more than fantasy”
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2016/may/27/is-there-a-secret-plan-to-create-an-eu-army
@Johnny Gunn: And the difference between an untied EU force and NATO would be one ruled by the EU Parliment and the other dictated from Washington.
@Mick Jordan: sovereign nation states should not be dictated to from Washington or Brussels, or Berlin for that matter.
@Johnny Gunn:
and Hayes said only recently that Ireland committing to an EU army was “crossing a red line”, along with the EU’s plan for a common consolidated corporate tax base, which Brussels has also said will happen. When the Irish people were “asked” to vote again in the Lisbon after supposedly getting concessions, those two “red line” issues were sold to the Irish people to get them to vote yes. And Hayes was one of the sellers.
And people wonder why Britain voted Brexit.
@Mick Jordan: so you are in favour of us having to sign up to an EU military and provide monies and personnel for such an army?
@Johnny Gunn: So who do you think is currently giving our little Island an umbrella of protection? We are certainly in no position to even defend our own airspace from a hijacked airliner let alone an unauthorised military plane. And our navy struggles to deal with illegal fishing boats let alone foreign naval vessels.
@Paul Fahey: Why not? We are already associate members of the WEU. This would just confirm that we are part and parcel of Europe.
@Johnny Gunn: so what?
@Johnny Gunn: Should?
And?
@Mick Jordan: the UK, airspace is covered by the RAF, naval support too.
the defense forces work very closely with the army and the Rangers and SAS work on joint briefs..
and to your other point NATO is a collective, not run by Washington,
where as Europe is run by Berlin pretty much..
like it or not that’s how it is, and it’s not going to change…
@Barry morcom: don’t tell Mick that the British actually do something positive and it is not the EU, he will have a bloody breakdown.
@Barry morcom: So you agree that we are a defacto member of a Military alliance already. So why fear one of the EU. And NATO policy is dictated by its biggest and most powerful member, the US.
@Mick Jordan: no i don’t agree, as a island that has 6 county’s attached which is part of the uk, its within there interests to have close ties with Ireland..
Ireland has been in many military alliances over the year’s, keeping peace for the UN…
That’s not the point..
a European army is not in the interest of this country, and really not many within Europe, many countries oppose this.
This is being lead by France and Germany, who can’t even keep up the payments to NATO!!!
@Mick Jordan: Currently Britain is providing that umbrella. The EU would like to see us cutting those ties for “the greater good”……
@Barry morcom: Who gives our entire Island air cover? A NATO member perhaps? Who do our Special Forces Troops train with regularly? Several NATO Forces perhaps? Who are Irish Army Officers currently embedded with in Afghanistan? NATO forces by any chance? Who would come to our defence if our territorial waters were endangered? NATO perhaps? So we can pretend we are neutral all we like. The only people we are fooling are people like you that don’t want to see reality.
@Kerry Blake: And what Miltary alliance is Britain a member of? Do you think they are spending their taxpayers money defending us because they just adore us so much?
@Mick Jordan: Nope they are willing to “defend” us because they would prefer to see action over our island rather then Britian…..
@Kerry Blake: They defend us because of our strategic importance situated in the North Atlantic just the same as Iceland.
@Johnny Gunn the pan European army was outlined in the Lisbon treaty. That’s why I voted No.
@Mick Jordan: reality is that that we already have friends that are already there to help if we need it.
so why do you want us to join a European army that is not needed.
we currently live with security a defense force and help if we need it.
i feel safer because of this. so what is the problem.
So it begins the German takeover of Europe
@Kieran Kelly: So it begins? It started decades ago…
@Kieran Kelly: Do you really believe what
You write? Or are you just trolling. Sarcasm is hard to judge online.
@some random guy: they’re just trolling. Usually cowardly anonymous liars too.
@Kieran Kelly: oh, I do enjoy the amateur dramatics on these forums.
An EU army controlled by Berlin….
I gotta a bad feeling about this!
@Chad Rockett: The EEC and now the EU has brought Europe peace and stability not seen since Rome was at its height.
@Chad Rockett:
You’d prefer a British army controlling the ROI?
@Mick Jordan: You seem to be forgetting about 2 world wars mick, oh and guess what, the German’s had a minor roll in the both of them.
Phew!!!!
@Trevor Hayden: And because of project Europe we have not seen Europe at peace for this long since the Pax Romanus from the time of Augustus.
@Trevor Hayden: Way to miss his point Trevor.
@Chad Rockett: Yeah, what could go wrong?
@Chad Rockett: This is more about the ECB and the IMF pushing its neo-liberal agenda and looking for ways to defend it.
The EEC and the EU was about Social, Political, and Financial intergration in member states. The Social aspect has long gone. The Political aspect as been taken over by the mandarins running the ECB. That leaves the Financial aspect, ruled by the ECB and its vulture friend the IMF.
These are the interests that needs defending. Not the EU and its citizens.
@Dave Doyle: Ahh those damned lizard people at it again with their NWO again?
@Mick Jordan: Tell that to the Fathers Mothers, Brothers, Sisters, and relations of those people slaughtered on the streets of Nice, Paris, London, Berlin, Stockholm, Barcelona, just to name the biggest cities where atrocities occurred. Thanks to the Globalists agenda and Merkils open door policy. Less EU,not more is needed. Hayes and co will not get our citizens consent to abandon our neutrality no matter how many times they put it to the people in a referendum.
@Mick Jordan: Has it? What was the state of Yugoslavia springs into mind straight away. Or do you only measure “peace” by the number of bodies?
@James Doyle: Why not tell it to those murdered in Stockholm and Helsinki too? They are well known for their neutrality. Did it help them?
@Kerry Blake: Was Yugoslavia a member of the EU? I don’t believe it was!!! Ergo my point is re-enforced by your statement.
@Mick Jordan: Europe (the EU) sat by until shamed into action by the US. BTW check your map you might find Yugoslavia is in Europe. So your point is in quick sand…..
@Kerry Blake: As I said they were no members of the EU. Slovenia and Croatia are members now. And not only are they at peace but are actively thriving. Serbia and Montenegro are in the process of joining. Since the foundation no member state has fought a Military conflict with another member. Something to celebrate wouldn’t you agree?
@Mick Jordan: Correction: America has brought Europe peace and stability not seen since Rome was at its height.
@Mick Jordan: you said the EU and EEC brought in Europe, not the EU, so the point about Yugoslavia stands as illustrates there have been wars in Europe and the EU sat by and watched. You truly are blind to the EU’s shortcomings.
@Paul Fahey: yes. If there was an eu army then it probably would have been different.
It is also inevitable with the diminishing influence of the USA and an isolationist and fading Britain.
@Mick Jordan: Now let me think what did happen to Rome ? Oh yes , wasn’t it something about going soft and letting itself be overrun by hordes of barbarians ?
Is that balloon trying to endanger Irish lives by revising neutrality status? Neutrality is one of the endearing things about Ireland.
@Ian Heaton: We aren’t neutral. And why would it be endearing? Are you proud our state (as distinct from our population) didn’t help liberate Europe from Nazi barbarity?
@Lorem Ipsum: Neutrality beings an air of sanctuary so to speak. It’s also endearing that Ireland doesn’t get involved in other people’s squabbles. There were enough Irish people that wanted to get involved with WWII if they wanted to – America was essentially neutral until Pearl Harbour. Nazism would have been defeated anyway.
@Ian Heaton: “Nazism would have been defeated anyway.” well that’s a sweeping statement. Pray tell how?
@Ian Heaton: WW2 was “a squabble”? And it’d be a squabble if one of our EU partners was attacked, I suppose?
@Lorem Ipsum: Where did I call WWII a squabble?
@Kerry Blake: From Russian and US involvement.
Hayes reckons we are one of the wealthiest country’s in the EU,yet we have thousands homeless,third world health services.something doesn’t add up.
@@mdmak33: and a spare 25 million to spend on a Referendum or 50million if he is not happy with the first result
That would build a enough house to solve the Housing Crisis
@@mdmak33: €200 billion in debt. Is this wealthy? I suppose Brian Hayes brilliant mind was sent to Europe after he was director of elections for FGs last disastrous election.
@@mdmak33: Yes not a dickybird about the 200 billion him and the rest of the political classes socialized onto our shoulders and the generation not yet born.
@James Doyle: Generations sadly……
After Phil Hogan he is probably the most despised politician in Ireland. Funny how the EU has a policy for an EU military force but things like housing and healthcare don’t even make the list, so much for “EU values”, it just goes to show how utterly removed Hayes and his EU loving ilk are from the ordinary challenges that face EU citizens. We should take a lead from the British and be openly discussing our EU membership now at this stage…
We do not need another federal super state with an army, at every point the Eurocrates have lied about what the EU is and its end goals. Vote yes you will not lose your neutrality ha.
@John Mc Grath: what’s a Eurocrate?
@John Mc Grath: Common defence is not a standing army. It’s an agreement to assist when one of our member states is attacked
@Ryan Boyle: where you put a eurobottle.
@Ryan Boyle: its similar to a euro-pallet
@Lorem Ipsum: Sure it is, you are either very naive or have not being paying attention.
@Ryan Boyle: It’s a crate built to a standard specified by the EU .
Our neutrality is what’s keeping us free from terrorist attacks, the EU can f€€k off.
This is a real reason to threaten article 50.
@Trevor Hayden: If you actually thinks Islamic Terrorists give one iota for our “neutrality” you are living in a fantasy world. Sweden is neutral yet they have suffered terrorist attacks.
@Trevor Hayden: Do you really believe that? Sweden has gone down it’s knees to them and still gets attacked.
@Trevor Hayden: Haha. I can only assume that is a joke post.
@James Connolly: Hi ‘james’. I see you have set up an account using an identical avatar and banner to former contributor ‘For Connolly’
The original
twitter.com/ForConnolly
Your account
twitter.com/4Connolly4
And used the tagline ‘Risen from the dead :)’
Both sad and hilarious in equal measure. Cheers!
@David: So do any of you believe that if we joined a European army our threat level would increase?
Of course it would and FG and Brian Hayes are trying to lead us down that path.
@Trevor Hayden:
I think you’ll find Eastern European countries are free of Islamist attacks. They’re all not neutral, in NATO, but have one major difference compared with Western European nations and we know what that is.
@Trevor Hayden: No it’s not. We aren’t neutral.
If neutrality prevented Islamist attacks then there wouldn’t have been one in Finland
@Mick Jordan: Where there any terror attacks in Sweden before they imported hundreds of thousands of Muslims ?
Vee vill not partake in an EU army. One of the many promises made over the years prior to joining the the then EEC and prior to all the referenda thereafter. Lying b’stards.
Go way ta fcuk
Fg are desperate to drag the irish army into conflicts aren’t they.
Is Brian getting worried about his seat on the EU.super gravey train.
@Macc Dan: Well that train is getting very shaky on the rails …
First time I’ve ever agreed with him on something.
Ireland isn’t neutral, it never has been. It’s completely reliant on the British for defense, even if not formally. We can’t even police our own air space. For too long we’ve been enjoying the privileges of neutrality without the large defense budgets and conscription you see in other neutral European countries like Switzerland and Austria.
@Seán J. Troy: Will you be available to join that army?. Will you pay more tax to equip it with its murder weapons? Who would you attack first.
Cant stand the man, when he comes on the TV or Radio i turn it off.
yes work with Europe on defense, but do not give up Ireland’s neutrality..
it is certainly not FG right to give away…
as for a European army…. why.. not needed as there is NATO…
@Barry morcom: It’s not the government’s right to determine defence policy?
@Lorem Ipsum: it is but not joining a separate military collective..
what would happen if Ireland joined NATO its exactly the same..
NATO countries have to use 2.5 percent of its GDP on defense spending..
European army would be the same..
Ireland could not afford that,
as a neutral country do you think TD’s can be trusted to on this…
People need to have there say…
and I’ve 6 year’s military background,
@Lorem Ipsum: It’s not the government’s right to force people down a road they don’t want to go down.
This is a game changer and no minority government has a mandate to pursue such a policy.
@Barry morcom: You have already admitted that we are a defacto member of NATO as it is. So why would being part of EUFOR be any different?
@Dave Doyle: sadly he made it clear there will be no votes on theses matters and countries will be expected to fall in line. The EU is becoming akin to a dictatorship in its drive for further integration.
@Mick Jordan: er no i didn’t…
6 county’s on this island are linked to UK, so there is a vested interest…
Really I’m not anti Europe, but with anyone with common sense would see this as a federal European exercise…
and just how would we afford to join this wonderful club!!!!
@Barry morcom: The same way Greece, Cyprus, Malta, Portugal, Austria, Luxembourg, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania can. They all manage to be part of NATO and EUFOR yet you reckon we can afford just to be members of EUFOR.
@Mick Jordan:well yes
@Mick Jordan: we don’t need to be a member of either, work’s well enough as it is.
and as this European army won’t be free why spend money that we can ill afford.
@Barry morcom: Yes, that’s exactly the Government’s perogative.
No, NATO countries do not have to spend 2.5% on defence
Yes, Ireland could afford that
No, there is no European army
No, you do not have a “military background”
No, the FCÁ doesn’t count
The poeple of Tallaght wont be fooled twice.
Id be very surprised if he gets re-elected.
Hayes is living a nice cushy life on the back of the EU, he is a worse crawler than Enda Kenny ever was, the sooner the voters of Dublin cop on and stop voting clowns like Hayes into Europe the better, We need people over in Brussels who will stand up for irelands interests not little d..ks like Hayes who haven’t got a back bone and would have us signed up to a superstate with a super army tomorrow just to get a pat on the head of juncker..
Yeah let’s some of the attacks other parts of Europe are getting. Can t believe anyone would belive that would be in the best interests of the people . But then again people’s interests are never in their thoughts
@free Palestine: And yet you support a country that have committed terrorist atrocities in Europe. Conflicted much?
@Honeybadger197: Yet you cheerlead for israel, who commit much larger atrocities using much larger bombs.
@The Risen: Yeah, radical islamists are so cuddly.
@Honeybadger197: Little known fact the first human bomb was a Jew who walked into a Palestine Police Force barracks and blew himself and the police on duty there up…….
@Kerry Blake: Can’t find any reference to that. Well known fact: Between 1989 and 2016 there were 171 suicide attacks in Israel committed by a variety of peace loving Palestinian care bears.
NO, loud and clear !!
Who the F@%k votes for this slimeball?
Neutrality…Cowardly double speak which really means.. “We’ll side with the winner”
Neutrality is a total cop out. We need to take our international responsibilities seriously instead of this inward looking neutrality nonsense. We are the only developed nation without a proper Air-Force. Frankly it is embarrassing. Are we going to be a sub-state to the UK forever, letting the RAF defend our skys is shameful.
@Séamus Longshanks: and would you feel the same if a war broke out and Irish men were sent off to fight because you wanted us to have a proper Air Force?
@Kyle Ocallaghan: Becoming non-neutral does not mean we have to go to far off places fighting for somebody else. Standing up for ourselves and growing up as a country is what I mean. And not be little Ireland hiding behind Britain.
@Séamus Longshanks: Have you any idea of the cost involved? We are told we can’t spend money on social housing for the poor in the country. It’s against EU rules and all that. Where is the money for modern fighter jets going to come from? We couldn’t afford the missiles never mind the jets.
@Dave Doyle: If Greece can afford them I am sure we could.
@Séamus Longshanks: Germany lent them the money to buy those german weapons and look where that got the Greeks…..
@Kerry Blake: F16s are American..
@Kerry Blake: Germany didn’t need to lend them money, because if they pay Greece the reparation they owe instead of fighting it in the courts Greece wouldn’t be in half as much trouble financially as they are now.
@Séamus Longshanks: you do understand that non-neutrality usually means a country will send troops to fight in far off wars? While neutrality means staying out of wars and other military conflicts usually. And just the cost of having to make our defence forces big enough to have a Air Force wouldn’t be worth it. Not when that money could be going to solving the homelessness and medical crisis we are facing and all the other crises we have as well. So tell me this, how would it be funded?
We are not a neutral country. The defence forces have been active contributors to the European battle group for a number of years. We actively train under Scandinavian military commanders. Ireland supplies troops to the Nordic battle group. We saw action in Chad under the false guise of peace keepers when we were deployed by French mandate because they needed help in mopping up their mess. While our defence force preformed extremely admirably and the Army Ranger wing conducted vital strikes in securing the main airport in Chad. It just shows we are neutral in name only. Our neutrality has been slowly eroded by the government’s of past and the EU. Even our reserves have been updated to resemble our regulars.
Ireland needs to re-examine it’s membership of the EU, surrendering our neutrality is too high a price.
@James Connolly: Hi ‘james’. I see you have set up an account using an identical avatar and banner to former contributor ‘For Connolly’, and an almost identical twitter name
The original
twitter.com/ForConnolly
Your account
twitter.com/4Connolly4
And used the tagline ‘Risen from the dead :)’
Both sad and hilarious in equal measure. Cheers!
@James Connolly: it really bothers him JC cos The Risen used to be For Connolly !
@Charles Murr: it seems that thread was scrubbed for some reason.
This comes up every few months. Ireland is not neutral, it is militarily non-aligned. Ireland has troops in half a dozen countries and soldiers operating under the command of officers from outside Ireland. That is not neutral. We are members of multiple multinational organizations and have ceded some sovereignty to a few of them. Ireland’s neutrality is a myth we tell ourselves which has little basis in fact.
We have a pretense of neutrality but in reality this is bulls**t.
@Jane: he’s a smug git!
We don’t have an adequate defence for ourselves. W
So does consignment solve the 6.3% unemployment according to Europe or is Angela punishing us for not paying our water bills.
Angela : Ve haf alvays tolt you britin vas de enemy, nowyou must join uz in destroying dem, my little ivish clicking boy.
Brian: Yes heir Merkel.
Angela : Ve have gud supplies of jack boots and iniforms at gestapo menswear its just in the centre of frankfurt, just tell them the almighty one sent you.
Brian: Yes heir Merkel.
Can we have abortion etc like all EU and EPP ran countries.
@Stan: They all have different laws on abortion. Compare Germany, UK, Spain and Malta
Neutrality is a morally bankrupt position. We need to grow up on this one in Ireland.
Fcuk off back under your rock Hayes. we don’t need to return to the days of Irish people dying in foreign wars for foreign empires.
@John Smith: Just in case you missed it Irish people have been dying in foreign wars since the foundation of the State. And Irish troops have been serving abroad in foreign conflicts since the 60′s. Ever hear of Jadoville in the Congo? Or what about Southern Lebanon? East Timor?
@Mick Jordan: and what empire were they fighting for?
@John Smith: Irishmen fought for the British Empire during WWII, during the Korean War, in Suez, During the Malaya Emergency. They have fought for the US in WWII, Korea, Vietnam, Gulf War 1 and 2, Afghanistan. They have fought for the French in Indochina, Algeria, Chad, Korea, Gulf War 1, Afghanistan. They fought on both sides of the Spanish Civil War. And they have fought and died in foreign fields on UN duties.
@Mick Jordan: And except for UN peacekeeping duties they volunteered to fight under foreign flags.
@John Smith: And yet you stated ” we don’t need to return to the days of Irish people dying in foreign wars for foreign empire’s. Are those that died not Irish even though they chose to fight for others?
If Brian Hayes is so keen on fighting he should join up with the British Army.
They are currently engaged on active service in various theatres, or is it just other peoples children he wishes to put in harms way so he can hob nob with the rest of the decrepid cowardly armchair generals in their sad watering holes?
@Jarlath Murphy: Hayes would never join any army and none of this family would either. He talks a load of tripe. He never did anything for the people of Tallaght and now he wants to sell Irish youth to fight war picked by NATO and America. Help them kill more people and invite people like ISIS to consider us for terrorism.
Is he brain damaged
We are not actually neutral at all . Irish regiments from NI have served in many war zones across the world along side many other nations . Iraq , Afghanistan , Sierra Leon , Bosnia , Kosovo , Korea . The list is endless . Nobody gives a sh.te if they come from NI or Southern Ireland they are call the Irish from Ireland .
@Tommy Whelan: These are British army regiments not Irish Army.
@Exit Eire: Irish regiments from the north are made up of Irish men from all parts of Ireland . They are known to the Taliban that they fought against as the Irish . That goes for every conflict they served in since independence. To put it another way the island of Ireland is represented by these Irish soldiers in Irish regiments that are fighting in war zones across the world . No enemy or friend cares that they are a reginment in the BA they are Irish soldiers from Ireland .
@Piarais Mac Maoláin: well obviously when soldiers serve in countries like Afghanistan and Sierra Leon they call themselves Irish soldiers from Ireland . This has always being the case since independence. Hey fly their Irish flags and speak with their Irish accents . The Irish are in town .
I’m not sure any one individual has a monopoly on Irish historical figures like James Connolly.
What neutrality?
How would more USA planes and arms moving through Shannon make Ireland or Europe safer. ? It would only kill a lot more people in the Middle East and sent even more Muslim extremists on their suicide missions abroad.
@Charles Williams: or sending letters of condolence to the Nazi govt on the death of hitler.
We never have been neutral in the true sense of the word ,whatever europe wants we will be good little boys and give it to them .we have a big bark but no bite ,lets be honest .as for that slithererrr hays ,a face only a mother could love .
@James Connolly: @James Connolly: it really bothers him JC cos The Risen used to be For Connolly !
I’m looking forward to FG being hoist on their own many petard.
The fighting Irish my ass . Something happen to this country when they change the flag over the GPO . We went from being the fighting Irish to being the victim Irish .
If the proposed common defence area and army were to be purely and strictly defensive only, narrowly and tightly defined, not offensive, or a provoked attack, and if the definition of what constitutes an act of war against a member state by an external aggressor were to be carefully defined, it would be worth putting to a democratic vote. It is a symbol of solidarity and mutual support.
I would lean against such a proposition but I can see circumstances, however unlikely, in which mutual defence pact, backed up by an army taken from all of the members states might be a reasonable deterrent against future attack.
With a small population and resources, Ireland’s contribution would not be decisive in any event and I would not see Ireland as a key part of this.
@Fiona deFreyne: @Stephen Mahe No , but the families of the guys coming back in boxes would would probably see themselves as a key part ..
@Charles Murr: Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery :)
Irelands “neutrality” like Switzerland and Sweden has always been fake and to be take with a pinch of salt.
Signing up to a joint EU defence would mean having to assign a % of gdp towards it, like NATO has now.
Just have to look at what Sweden is peeing away this week alone on “defence” , 60 million euro on a training exercise.
The Swedish govt promised to build housing and hospitals (same as our shower of elected gombeens)but instead spent billions on fixing up ships to chase ficticious submarines.
So if Ireladn sign up for this nonsense don’t expect anything else to get fixed!
That Muppet hayes again… has to be seen as saying something.. just another fella on the gravy train that is the European parliament
We are staying neutral Hayes. Please shut your stupid mouth. We do not want to go around picking fights that later come back to bite us. You and the other idiots should by more concerned about what is going to happen to Irish trade after Brexit. British civil servants have devised a secret plan concerning their future trading partners which will come as a shock to the EU.
By the way where all this wealth? You and your pals are having a great time but what about the people who are on the streets because of your banker pals. We have handed enough to Europe its time to start thinking about our people.
I’m looking forward to FG being hoist on their own many petards.
No one likes this man runs off to europe when he was needed here
Brian Hayes and the other 3 FG numpties who put their name to this are the lap dogs of Soros .
Like the Russian influence on the US election, the Irish need to be wary of the UK trying to convince them that Brexit is a wonderfully smart move and the EU is an evil oppressor.
Some of the paddies aren’t smart enough to identify the old oppressor telling them new oppressor is worse and they should stick with the old one, their real friend, might be snakeoil.
@The Risen: Ah The Lost Sovereignty broken record drivel again. Look up Pooled Sovereignty and stop boring the eyeballs out of our collective heads, will ye?
have your say