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GOVERNMENT WILL NOT oppose a Seanad motion which calls for a guarantee of Ireland’s status as a militarily neutral state.
The motion states that Ireland’s neutral status should be guaranteed by way of a constitutional guarantee, calling for a recognition that Ireland’s membership of any military alliance “would immediately diminish and undermine our international reputation”.
The motion also calls for Ireland to retain its political discretion to support any member of the international community in crisis, but with the protection of the triple-lock
mechanism.
Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Coveney said over the weekend that moving away from the triple-lock system for sending Defence Force’s troops on missions abroad would be “a sensible change”.
Currently, to send more than 12 Irish troops abroad, there needs to be approval by the Government, approval by the Dáil and a UN Resolution to mandate the mission.
The motion, which states that Ireland’s military neutrality remains a central and invaluable component of our foreign policy since the foundation of the State, is being proposed by the Seanad Independent group and is being supported by all opposition groups.
Senators Tom Clonan, Michael McDowell, Victor Boyhan, Sharon Keogan, Rónán Mullen, David Norris, Lynn Boylan, Paul Gavan, Niall Ó Donnghaile, Fintan Warfield, Fiona O’Loughlin, Frances Black, Eileen Flynn, Alice-Mary Higgins, Lynn Ruane have all backed the motion which will be heard in the Seanad today.
It states that Ireland’s military neutrality makes the country a “unique voice for peace and reconciliation throughout the world”.
The motion also calls for the Government to recognise that the country’s military neutrality “is highly valued and cherished by the citizens of Ireland”.
The text of the motion also states:
“In a time of increased political and military instability in Europe, with the invasion of
Ukraine, and in a time of global de-stabilisation and accelerating climate change, our
military neutrality is more important than ever.”
It goes on to call on the Government to properly fund the army, air corps, navy and cyber security, as well as pay soldiers, aircrew and sailors a living wage.
A Minister for Defence, with an exclusive portfolio, should also be established, it states.
Taoiseach Micheál Martin addressed the comments made by Coveney in relation to the triple-lock mechanism in the Dáil yesterday, stating that the Government “has no intention of changing its current policy in respect of military neutrality”.
“There is no galloping towards new alliances or anything like it,” he said, adding that Coveney referenced the triple lock more in the context of the need for reform of the United Nations, in particular the veto Russia has at the Security Council.
“Let us be straight about it. The outrageous attack on Ukraine is, by any objective yardstick, an appalling, inhuman and immoral attack on the people of Ukraine, yet the country that is doing that is on the Security Council,” said Martin.
He said scrapping the triple-lock mechanism is not in the programme for Government.
“I do not believe in removing it. I believe we should have a citizens’ assembly to discuss all these issues in a more informed way, which I have said,” the Taoiseach said.
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Ireland should be neutral in foreign conflicts. It would be sad if we lost that reputation.
@Celtic Eagle: This is rich coming from a ring wing person such as you! Isn’t the Eagle a Nazi symbol ? In other aspects, the eagles represents honesty, truth, majesty, strength, courage, wisdom, power and freedom – not seen any of that coming from your comments in the Journal.
@Con Cussed: ah jaysus. “I dont like your comment so I’m going to call you fascist.” Listen to yourself.
@motojack: You should read his comments about Ukraine, LGBTQ+ and other things.
@Con Cussed: none of those make him a fascist. He simply has a different view,one which somand gets literally playground bullied in the comment section. Also, his comments were about neutrality this time not the lgbtq etc.
@GaMran: I don’t agree with him on a lot but I listen to them. Also do you always agree with a person on every subject? I met people who are left supporters and sick of the gender politics,emigration etc. Still vote against the right because the other 1000 ideology they held is leftist. Gotta stop putting people into two groups. (left/ far right) I am in no way standing up for what this dude says most of the time but he has a right to say it without being constantly bullied and get sent nasty personal comments back.
@GaMran: Actually in essence I agree with you. I have desire in any way to bully the bully!
@Con Cussed: Ooops, I have NO desire in any way to bully the bully!
@Con Cussed: In that case you called a raging communist.
@Celtic Eagle: Well said.
@Con Cussed: i think u just did
@Keth Warsaw: LOL ;0)
We still need major investment in our military, starting with decent wages for our servicemen and women.
We absolutely have to stay neutral. Apart from everything else, we don’t have the money to build an army capable of fighting in wars.
@Ian Hoey: but we are benefiting from all the perks of living in a part of the free world…
@Ian Hoey: we don’t need to spend money building a military. If, for example we joined NATO, we would be in a position to provide bases and other infrastructure for allied forces to secure Europe’s western flank. I would imagine we would benefit in the sense that it would be in their interests to help equip and modernise our military.
In any event, it’s all academic as we will continue to bury our heads in the sand and fool ourselves into thinking everything is peachy.
@Paul Shepherd: It does actually cost money to be a member of the NATO club. I believe that the US and others were pushing for a 2% of GDP spend on the military budget. Not sure of what is spent on the military here but have a funny feeling that it is far from 2 percent.
@Ian Hoey: Maintaining military neutrality s actually more expensive that being part of an alliance. Now we have to equip ourselves to defend our sovereign territory from being used by any participant in foreign wars. All along we have been happy to let France and the UK defend our seas and skies.
I don’t see how you can be neutral in todays world…we have to side with Ukraine and expulsion of our diplomats and politicians by Russia is pretty aggressive…
Ok we don’t have military hardware but is staying quite acceptable ..not really..
@David cotter: we were neutral in the world of Nazi Germany, fascist Italy and Spain’s Franco dictatorship in the late 1930s.. it’s the same world , different year..
@Ciaran: that’s because Dev fancied being a propped up leader by the said regimes
@Ciaran: Two wrongs don’t make a right! We’re not politically neutral and therefore why be militarily neutral? The Russians certainly don’t think we’re neutral!
@Derek Goulding: No he didn’t. Ireland assisted the allies in many ways. We returned only allied airmen. We provided intelligence and vital weather forecasts.
@Ciaran: spot on just a other day at the office ….i think anybody thinks that strongly about going to war ..i say off u pop just don’t drag everybody with u
@Derek Goulding: but like ffgwith the tanks and the eu
@Michael Nolan: Yanks
@David cotter: what’s this we white man
@Derek Goulding: Any facts to go with that.
@David cotter: “We have to side with Ukraine” who said we have to. we don’t have to but we do, and we will pay the price for it. Watch this small clip, this is the Ukraine that we are helping https://twitter.com/RueDaungier/status/1595004035773657090?s=20&t=I_Jq55HMJB3wyIzIgUZeUg
Not the same world. Radically different. No cyber hacking,targeted social media propaganda,internet transatlantic cables or major US FDI investment in Ireland back then.And most of all. No Nuclear ICBMs. We are a 2ndary target, after London etc because of our strategic Atlantic position. We can choose to accept that and try to prepare .Or not prepare and 100% fail.
@cormac garvey: Fact!
With our neutral international position and the respect it attracts we could propose peace talks to the belligerents and in every international body where we have a voice – the EU, the UN etc.
The Good Friday agreement was a remarkable achievement as it dealt with populations on the ‘wrong’ side of state lines. Many of the negotiators of that agreement, such as Bertie Ahern and David Trimble, are still active and I’m sure willing to participate in such a bold call.
@Bramley Hawthorne: Be very hard for David Trimble to participate since the man died earlier this year
No country in the world with a history of occupation like Ireland, 6 counties still occupied despite Brit propaganda, has a weaker military than Ireland. It’s perverse.
Let’s get one thing straight sitting on the fence (as neutrality implies) in times of crisis is not an option and never will be for any country,this country once gladly acceped millitary help when it was needed ,we should help others like Ukraine against Russian aggression with every means at its disposal including military hardware,doing nothing (as neutrality implies) to help should never be an article in our constitution,it would be quite bizarre and crazy.
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