MICHAEL HIGGINS, the son of the sitting President, has criticised the consultative forum on international security as having an “alarmist tone”.

Higgins spoke from the floor during the event in Galway today and claimed that the concept of peace has been excluded from discussions.   

The consultative forum was discussing Ireland’s place in the world at the time – Higgins told delegates that he had been working at the UN in New York with the Irish delegation during its period on the Security Council.

His father has been critical of the consultative forum and was moved to apologise to chair Louise Richardson for comments regarding her role earlier this week.

In an interview published by the Business Post, President Higgins said Ireland was “playing with fire” in a “drift” away from neutrality.

He said that the “most dangerous moment in the articulation and formulation of foreign policy and its practice, since the origin of diplomacy, has been when you’re drifting and not knowing what you’re doing.”

“I would describe our present position as one of drift.”   

Michael Higgins, son of Michael D Higgins, speaking to Tánaiste Micheál Martin at the Galway Consultative Forum on International Security Policy. Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo

Higgins, the president’s son, spoke during one of the sessions this morning, and was also critical of the process.

“It is great that we have these public debates but it is much better when they don’t take place in a kind of fractious or distrustful environment.

“Because of that, I think the conspicuous and glaring omission of peace from this forum and the kind of alarmist tone of the material tone associated with it has been unhelpful.

“Would it not have been better to strike a tone of reassurance, of centurion calm.

“The reality is Ireland is still one of the least threatened countries in the world, we are held in high regard internationally,” he said. 

Higgins added that achievements like those of Ireland at the UN Security Council involving Africa would not have happened had the State been a member of NATO.

He also claimed that neutrality was essential to Ireland’s work at the United Nations and said that while Ireland is well liked in Africa, NATO was not.

“Much more than that, it was intrinsic to how potent, how influential we were at the United Nations.

“Small countries have to be able to appeal at a cross-regional level to have impact at the UN,” he said.