Letters

Clarity on neutrality

‘Not politically or morally neutral’

Sat Jun 18 2022 - 00:15

Sir, – In an article titled, “Five Ukrainian soldiers with significant trauma-related injuries airlifted to Dublin” (News, June 13th), a statement was provided to the journalist by the Department of Foreign Affairs.

The spokesperson said Ireland was “not politically or morally neutral in the face of Russia’s appalling attack against Ukraine”. They went on to say that “Ireland has a long-standing policy of military neutrality, meaning that we do not participate in military alliances or mutual defence arrangements”.

This is not the first time that Ministers and officials have mentioned political or moral neutrality, yet there is no definition of either concept in Irish law.

What does being politically or morally non neutral actually mean? Has the difference between being military neutral and military non-aligned ever been fully debated in the Oireachtas? And if we are military non-aligned as some would claim, why have we not joined the alliance of 120 non-aligned countries in the world?

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An Taoiseach is recently quoted as saying “we need to reflect on military non-alignment in Ireland and our military neutrality. We are not politically neutral”.

There is a long-standing misconception that military neutrality is enshrined in the Irish Constitution. It is not. The State cannot declare war or “participate” in war, according to Article 28.3, without authorisation by the Oireachtas but there is no constitutional impediment.

I am not arguing for or against neutrality, but I am calling for clarity and an end to the ambiguous position that Ireland has adopted.

As a wise man once said, there can be no neutrality between the fire and the fire brigade.

– Yours, etc,

GERARD CRAUGHWELL,

Independent Senator,

Seanad Éireann,

Kildare Street,

Dublin 2.