Ruairi Ó Murchú (Louth, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

As regards the process and set-up of the consultative forum, many of us saw it as the Government removing the conversation from the Irish people to some degree. We have issues with that particular process and set-up. I welcome some of what has been said. A peace and stability unit, using the history and skill sets we have and built on our history of having been colonised and our anti-colonial history of resistance and peacebuilding, is what we need to do. There is absolute belief among the Irish people of the need for an independent Irish foreign policy. The Tánaiste stated that Ireland does not need to be a military superpower. I do not think we need to engage sometimes alongside the military superpowers or to hamstring ourselves in that context. In recent times, we have seen that the decisions they make are not necessarily ones with which the Irish people are happy.

We all know there needs to be proper resourcing of the Defence Forces. We need to deal with the issues of recruitment and retention and ensure we have capacity to deliver on peacekeeping and deal with those security issues in this world of hybrid and other threat. We must have the capacity to deal with whatever security circumstances we encounter. I do not think anyone will have any major issues, depending on the issue, with us getting involved in some sort of co-operation as regards cybersecurity, but that does not mean we have to jettison our non-alignment, independent foreign policy and neutrality.

At the business end of the report of the consultative forum, it states: "A considerable majority of those who spoke or wrote on this topic expressed the view that there is presently no public appetite for a change to the current position on neutrality." The Government or any Member should not fear a referendum on neutrality and putting that discussion to the people. It is where an issue of such importance belongs. The Tánaiste and I attended an event earlier today to remember Private Seán Rooney, who was lost on a UNIFIL peacekeeping operation in Lebanon and other members of the Defence Forces who were lost this year. At times like that, one must remember their sacrifice and the great respect Ireland gets, not only for the fact that we are not always seen as aligned and are seen as having our own foreign policy, but the respect that is based on significant work that has been done by our peacekeepers. Yesterday, the Tánaiste stated there is no act more noble than peacekeeping. Deputy Carthy, however, raised the issue of the UNDOF mission in the Golan Heights and the fact that Ireland seems to have disengaged from it, while at the same time only 35 have signed up for EU battle groups. That indicates the Defence Forces are making decisions on a man-by-man or woman-by-woman basis in respect of our neutrality.

The considerable agreement in the House in respect of the disgraceful Russian colonial aggression in Ukraine is to be welcomed, but we can now see the western world, including the US and the EU, will have a more difficult job bringing the global south alongside in this regard. That is down to the double standards and the abject failure of the western world for many decades in the Middle East and in respect of Palestinians but, in particular, the failure to call out what is a genocidal attack on the Palestinian people in Gaza at this time. Josep Borrell stated that this could undermine diplomatic supports for Ukraine and the global south and the EU's ability to insist on human rights clause in international agreements and that the EU needs to show more empathy for the loss of Palestinian civilian lives in Israel's war against Hamas. We know what Ursula von der Leyen did, similar to the US, in putting arms around Israel as it carried out its genocidal actions. We all welcome that negotiation has brought in what may be a short-term ceasefire that may allow hostages on either side to be released, including, I hope, Emily Hand. What is needed, however, is a proper ceasefire and a roadmap for the Palestinian people that will deliver not only peace, but also freedom and self-determination.

There is no need for us, as I said previously, to hamstring ourselves. We have an independent foreign policy. Irish people are still committed to neutrality and non-alignment and there is no reason that should change. We should have that discussion with them.

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