Professor Ben Tonra:

Across the literature, looking at comparative neutrality in the European context, there are many conversations about what neutrality entails and the reasons for that kind of neutrality. The Senator is as familiar with the literature as I am. Particularly when countries look at Ireland, they see Ireland's highly beneficial geostrategic situation, allowing it not to have had to participate in many of the big and tough decisions on European security and defence. That is a privilege we have enjoyed by virtue of our geography. The attitude that one does come across occasionally is that people look at Ireland's position and say it is very easy for us to take that position when others have to make much more difficult choices. Consequently, to stand on a pedestal claiming that neutrality makes Ireland a better country than other countries gives rise to a certain degree of - let us call it - dissatisfaction.