John Brady (Wicklow, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I will support the Bill. Much can be said of the historical antecedents that have been used to underpin the principle of neutrality and the strong currents of support that neutrality has enjoyed in this country. They provide a strong foundation for contemporary arguments in favour of military neutrality. Today we take our place in a world that exists amid a geopolitical storm. The rules that have traditionally provided stability and order for the international system have been torn asunder by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Amid the chaos, there are those seeking to take advantage of this human tragedy and to reawaken from the cold sleep of forced hibernation old, tired, and worn-out arguments for the abandonment of Irish neutrality. This is all in the hope the natural empathy, compassion and sense of identity of the people with the cause of the oppressed against an imperial aggressor would cause us to give leave of our senses and join them in their jingoism. I reject the arguments of those who would have us abandon our neutrality and surrender our sovereignty. The people, too, reject these arguments, evidenced in opinion poll after opinion poll, in which time and again they have asserted their support for military neutrality.

I believe in Irish neutrality. I believe our Defence Forces need to be given the means to guarantee our military neutrality. I believe the exemplary record of the Defence Forces in support of United Nations peacekeeping missions has not only provided a vital contribution to global humanitarian projects but has acted as a major contributor to the international esteem in which our country is held. Women and men in our Defence Forces represent some of the very best of what our nation has to offer in terms of patriotism, sacrifice and commitment to democratic ideals, yet Government after Government has failed them utterly. They have marginalised them and undermined their democratic right to participate in collective bargaining, as is the right of many militaries of the EU. Successive Governments have stood by as the strength of our Defence Forces has been decimated through neglect. Under the Government, our country is dependent on other states to guarantee the security of our seas and skies. The international order, the new Europe, needs to be rebuilt with imagination and diplomacy, not military posturing. Ireland is uniquely positioned to play a critical role in these efforts. By enshrining the principle of neutrality in our Constitution, we will codify the principles, the characteristics and the record of what it is to be Irish in the eyes of the international arena.

Many nations are qualified to wage war, but precious few have the qualifications, the record or the standing to act as the builders of peace. Rather than view neutrality as a retreat from international responsibilities, I view active neutrality as a means for the Irish nation to advance its contribution to international affairs and to reverse the current circumstances in which Ireland struggles to meet our UN mandate. The pursuit of a policy of active neutrality allows us to amalgamate the contributions of factors that have established the essence of Irish soft power on the international stage. The peacekeeping record of our Defence Forces, the humanitarian record of our NGOs and the influential record of our diplomatic service have contributed to the establishment of an Irish identity in global affairs, an identity that allows Ireland access and credibility in dealing with international issues that is denied to other nations whose past and current configuration leaves them better prepared for war.

Sinn Féin will support the Bill.

See this speech in context