Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I extend a warm welcome to representatives of the Irish Peace and Neutrality Alliance, PANA, who are in the Gallery. Tá fáilte rompu. The ownership of the neutrality of Ireland rests with the Irish people and with them only. The Bill provides that: "War shall not be declared and the State shall not participate in any war or other armed conflict, nor aid foreign powers in any way in preparation for war or other armed conflict, or conduct of war or other armed conflict, save where it is immediately necessary in defence of the State and with the assent of Dáil Éireann." This provision should be welcomed, supported and enshrined in our Constitution. The further provision should similarly be welcomed and supported that:

Ireland affirms that it is a neutral state. To this end the State shall, in particular, maintain a policy of non-membership of military alliances.

This position, based on opinion polling, is the will of the Irish people. Some 57% of persons who responded to polling in February 2016 supported the enshrining of neutrality in our Constitution. I have every confidence that this percentage has grown in the period since. Over the past years and under Fianna Fáil Governments every bit as much as under those of Fine Gael, there has been a distinct dilution of our status as a neutral country. This began with the use of Shannon Airport in the Iraq war in the early noughties and that unacceptable facilitation continues to this day, under the watch of the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Deputy Coveney.

It was also happened under the watch of the Labour Party, which could have ended it when in government under the previous mandate.

This is an unforgivable situation. The facilitation compromises Ireland's international standing. We are accommodating interference in Afghanistan, Syria, Libya, Yemen and perhaps in other countries in the Middle East and beyond that we are not aware of. We are in a year of European Parliament elections which are but a matter of weeks away. Europe is at a crossroads. Many of the so-called main players in the European project support moves towards the establishment of a European army. I fundamentally reject this position, as does my party. I commend the work of the four Sinn Féin MEPs, namely, Matt Carthy, representing Midlands-North-West, Lynn Boylan, representing the city of Dublin, Liadh Ní Riada representing Ireland South, Martina Anderson, our representative of the six county community on this island. They have stood solidly and squarely against these moves at every turn, within the opportunities open to them as Members of the European Parliament.

There was a time that I believed we all held the view that Irish neutrality was precious. Unfortunately, that is no longer the case. The Minister will dilute it or give it away at his peril. There is no reason a referendum should not be held to allow the people to have their say. Enshrining neutrality in our Constitution is the right thing to do.

See this speech in context