The Government has convened the Consultative Forum on International Security Policy to discuss what Irish security policy should be.
It is commonly stated that Ireland is Neutral but that is an ill-defined policy with no basis in law.
It is more accurate to say that we have a policy is military unalignment in that we do not join any military alliances. If we were neutral we would have to have the capability to defend ourselves but we don't. From that perspective we effectively have no armed forces. If we were neutral we would not let any foreign military into our territory but we let US planes land in Shannon and we let the RAF defend our air space. We also have no capability to detect or deter foreign aircraft or ships from entering our territory.
The traditional Triple Lock is required for Irish defence forces to be deployed for UN or any other missions. That was reiterated in the Seville Declaration after the rejection of our first referendum on the Treaty of Nice.
Article 29 of the Constitution states that "The State shall not adopt a decision taken by the European Council to establish a common defence pursuant to Article 42 of the Treaty on European Union where that common defence would include the State." That is the closest that there is to a law in Neutrality as it is not mentioned anywhere in the Irish Statute Books.
Under the Triple Lock the troops can be deployed with the approval of the Dail and the Government after the approval of a resolution of the UN general assembly. The Permanent Members of the Security Council have a veto over all such resolutions so in theory and in practice Russia and China get to decide if we deploy our troops.
While NATO membership is not on the cards and is not desired by any political parties, despite the populist nonsense being spouted by some of the opposition and the President*. The question is are we going to actually be neutral and spend 3-4 billion a year more on our military or are we going to cooperate with our fellow EU States and other democracies in order to fulfil our duties and responsibilities?
(*I would have referred to previous occupants of the office as "our President" but Micky D has made it quite clear that he has no desire to be the President for all the people, instead he has politicised the office and is only interested in being the President of those who agree with him.)
It is commonly stated that Ireland is Neutral but that is an ill-defined policy with no basis in law.
It is more accurate to say that we have a policy is military unalignment in that we do not join any military alliances. If we were neutral we would have to have the capability to defend ourselves but we don't. From that perspective we effectively have no armed forces. If we were neutral we would not let any foreign military into our territory but we let US planes land in Shannon and we let the RAF defend our air space. We also have no capability to detect or deter foreign aircraft or ships from entering our territory.
The traditional Triple Lock is required for Irish defence forces to be deployed for UN or any other missions. That was reiterated in the Seville Declaration after the rejection of our first referendum on the Treaty of Nice.
Article 29 of the Constitution states that "The State shall not adopt a decision taken by the European Council to establish a common defence pursuant to Article 42 of the Treaty on European Union where that common defence would include the State." That is the closest that there is to a law in Neutrality as it is not mentioned anywhere in the Irish Statute Books.
Under the Triple Lock the troops can be deployed with the approval of the Dail and the Government after the approval of a resolution of the UN general assembly. The Permanent Members of the Security Council have a veto over all such resolutions so in theory and in practice Russia and China get to decide if we deploy our troops.
While NATO membership is not on the cards and is not desired by any political parties, despite the populist nonsense being spouted by some of the opposition and the President*. The question is are we going to actually be neutral and spend 3-4 billion a year more on our military or are we going to cooperate with our fellow EU States and other democracies in order to fulfil our duties and responsibilities?
(*I would have referred to previous occupants of the office as "our President" but Micky D has made it quite clear that he has no desire to be the President for all the people, instead he has politicised the office and is only interested in being the President of those who agree with him.)