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

We obviously dealt with some of the changing circumstances in the world and geopolitics. We know the huge pressure our peacekeepers are under. We know there are changing circumstances in Lebanon because of the genocidal actions of the Israeli regime against the Palestinian people. Many of us have been worried for a long time about the escalation. While we are happy to have a chance to at least discuss this motion, I have already heard a number of colleagues say they do not believe we are dealing properly with the issue of our status. Any polls or consultation that have occurred in the past show that the Irish people are steadfast in their belief that we remain unaligned and neutral. This is a position that for many years has protected our peacekeepers and our independent foreign policy. It has meant that we are seen as a safe pair of hands.

I think the Tánaiste has said before that nobody requires Ireland to be a military superpower, so we are all put out when we hear Ursula von der Leyen speak about the build-up of an EU military-industrial complex. That frightens us. That is the other reason, when we talk about any moves away from the triple lock, it is seen as a movement away from our neutrality and unaligned status, and a movement in the direction of something else the Irish people do not want. We know it is a changed world. We talk about the Ukrainian crisis. We know the major geopolitical circumstances across the world. We know a large number of countries, including Russia and China, have been involved all over the world, and not necessarily for the benefit of those parts of the world. The western world has a long track record of taking rather than giving. We talk about the migration crisis we have at this point, and we know we have to get to grips with our own systems. We also know there is a large number of people who are moving because of what the Russians, Chinese and the western world have done for many years across the Middle East and Africa. We must deal with the specific issue of Ireland's movement in the direction wanted by some within the European Union, which is a more militarised Europe, and away from its unaligned status. That is not acceptable. When dealing with particular operations we need to give the matters proper consideration, whether in a committee or in this Chamber. We need to see that from here on.

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