Seán Canney (Galway East, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I also welcome the opportunity to speak on this issue. People's minds have focused on this subject in recent weeks. When we talk about Irish neutrality, this is something that is part of our Constitution. As a State, we are a neutral country. In recent decades, major advances have been made in digitalisation and technology, etc., and it is important we re-examine where we are at in terms of our neutrality. We have issues with cybersecurity, the protection of our seas and areas like this. This means we must collaborate with other nations. Even in the drugs war, we have police officers over today from the United Arab Emirates to talk to people here.

This is a major change from where we were at when our State was founded. It is important, however, that we retain our neutrality. To speak to what has happened in Israel and Palestine in the past two and a half weeks, two wrongs never make a right. I believe the Palestinian people have been used as human shields. They have been starved of water, food and medicine by Israel, and this must be condemned. I also believe that if we are to find a solution in that part of the world, it will not happen overnight.

The saddest thing is we have had this conflict going on for 75 years. It has come at a cost, and that has been in human lives. This continues to be the case. In recent weeks, though, we have seen the use of innocent people, men, women, children and innocent families, in the advance of I do not know what. Even if Hamas were to be wiped out tomorrow morning, that would just be sowing the seeds for something worse than it to emerge in five or six years' time, in the context of young people being indoctrinated in respect of what is being inflicted on them now. We must, therefore, think long and hard about the consequences of going into Palestine and just trying to wipe everybody out to get at a few people. It is purely wrong, and we must say this. We must condemn it and say "Stop".

When we look at Ukraine, we are very much on the side of the Ukrainians because their country has been invaded by Russia and has been targeted, resulting in innocent civilians being killed there. Again, this includes men, women and children. We have proven ourselves to be very good at the humanitarian aspect of the response to this situation.

Looking back in time as well, we can see what we have done in terms of the UN and peacekeeping. It is very important we retain this as our uppermost objective in places where we have conflict in the world. I refer to us acting as peacekeepers who can go into those areas to try to help out. I wish our next cohort of peacemakers well. I think they are leaving Ireland next week to go to Lebanon. May God direct them in their work is what we should be saying to those people because they are going to a place full of conflict. This is an important aspect as well.

From a reputational perspective, because we are a member of the European Union, we may feel we must conform with our European partners in how we deal with war and conflict around the world. As a nation, though, we have been through enough ourselves and through enough conflict to understand conflict does not pay and does not get us anywhere. When we look at what happened in Northern Ireland, the large number of lives lost there over many years, and then the subsequent arrival of peace, it is evident it is important for us to focus on how we can help to deliver peace. We cannot just fall in behind the leaders in Europe or statesmen across the world who believe they are doing the right thing. I say this because no matter where we go, the major powers always have an ulterior motive when they get involved in wars. This ulterior motive can be economic or for some other reason.

Ireland has to keep itself clear that we are a neutral country. We have built a reputation on that and we need to continue to be that beacon of light for lots of countries, especially smaller ones. We as a small nation have been able to offer huge influence internationally and globally when it comes to war. That has been achieved by the fact that we are a neutral country and that we remain neutral. We do not have to define it. We just have to put peace before war and put human people before conflict, money or power. It is important we recalibrate our thinking and actually look at our neutrality. I believe the people of this country want to remain neutral and want to make sure we retain our neutrality even if we are a member of the European Union and even if more of the European Union members want to do something different. We have to stand out, as we have done in the past, and lead by example as a small country that can have a positive influence on the world.

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