Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The Deputy is wrong, and I think she knows she is wrong, but it did not stop her saying it, which is a disingenuous way to behave. Yesterday in the House I spoke on this. I referenced Frank Aiken and our policy and our proactive role in nuclear non-proliferation as well as the role of Fianna Fáil's Frank Aiken, the heroic work he did and how that would impact any debate on military neutrality. Our neutrality is a military neutrality insofar as we are not members of any defence alliance. It is up to other countries if they want to volunteer to be part of defensive alliances, which is what NATO is. From the Irish perspective, we stayed outside any military block. In the context of the Nice referendum, we inserted into the Constitution a provision which means we cannot join a European defence pact without a constitutional referendum. Also, over the years we have agreed a triple lock mechanism which means that the participation of Irish troops in any mission has to be under the auspice of a UN resolution, with approval by the Government and the Oireachtas. The point I am making is that, given what has happened in the appalling imperialist war of atrocities on the people of Ukraine, undertaken by Russia alone, people are questioning things and reflecting. That is legitimate in a democracy.

I am not diverting anybody because I did not raise these issues. They were raised on the left by Deputies Paul Murphy and Mick Barry. They have raised the issue of NATO consistently over the past three or four weeks and they were blaming NATO for the war before it started. They called NATO "warmongers". We should concentrate on the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine and on using everything to end the war and stop the appalling humanitarian crisis that is unfolding. Discussions are under way about humanitarian corridors. We need to get humanitarian assistance into the cities under bombardment because we are hearing of children dying from dehydration. We saw on the news last evening families not having access to proper food. That should be our immediate priority and I suggested a citizens' assembly well after this could be a meaningful way of having an informed reflection. That would include Ireland's unique role in nuclear non-proliferation and our role as peacekeepers, which has been a consistent factor in our independent foreign policy and has stood us well through the years.

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