Gino Kenny (Dublin Mid West, People Before Profit Alliance) | Oireachtas source

We are living in very dangerous times, when the norms of international law, even in warfare, are being breached on a daily basis. We only have to look at what is taking place in Gaza. The pictures and images of what Israel is doing to human beings - children, women and men - are incomprehensible. In that context, Irish neutrality has always been sacred. It has been sacred from the foundation of the State. The overwhelming majority of Irish people have supported neutrality because they understand that if our neutrality is eroded, we can be pulled into conflicts that are not of our making and in which our citizens will be maimed. We have seen in the past 100 years, in the First World War and Second World War, how countries were dragged into imperialist wars. It is, therefore, vitally important that our neutrality stays as it is and is not compromised. I believe it has been compromised and eroded, for decades and more, by language and deeds, in particular the militarisation of the European Union.

We only have to look at the European defence industrial strategy. This is a precursor to a European defence model and a European defence army. Hundreds of billions of euro are being spent on military hardware. Throughout history, when there has been increased militarisation, that equipment for war has been used eventually. We are now seeing this in the European Union. Irish troops are engaged in the European battle groups, which is very controversial in terms of our neutrality.

What is really worrying, particularly in recent decades, has been the development of economic blocs from competition into potential conflict. We have seen this in the Pacific, the Middle East and in other parts of the world. This is extremely dangerous not only for Ireland's neutrality but for world peace.

The use of Shannon Airport by American troops is a blatant breach of Irish neutrality. The Tánaiste will remember that America invaded Iraq illegally in 2003. As a consequence, hundreds of thousands of Iraqi civilians were killed by American troops in the ensuing civil war. Hundreds of thousands of people died because of that illegal invasion yet Ireland facilitated millions of American troops going through Shannon Airport. That is a blatant breach of our neutrality and it has to stop. Any government that describes itself as left-wing has to stop that blatant breach, and it is continuing with regard to Iraq.

Neutrality is sacred. It is very dear to the Irish people and those who love peace and do not want to be dragged into other people’s wars, as happened in the past. Our neutrality is so important in preventing us from being dragged into those wars and conflicts. The language and rhetoric being used by this Government about the triple lock and militarisation are extremely worrying. There is a potential that Irish troops could be involved in a European army and a European conflict, particularly given what is happening in Ukraine and elsewhere. On that basis, it must be enshrined in the Constitution that we can never, under any circumstance, be involved in military pacts or European wars given where the European Union is going. Neutrality is sacred, but that has to be enshrined in our Constitution.

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