The Government is steadily “stripping Irish neutrality of any actual meaning,” Dublin TD Paul Murphy has claimed.
Deputy Murphy was one of 58 TDs who last night voted against a Government plan to join two new EU PESCO (Permanent Structured Co-operation) projects and two European Defence Agency projects.
The Government has said one of the projects is aimed at protecting the undersea cables and infrastructure that connect Ireland to the rest of the world from “sabotage, terrorism and espionage”.
The project is led by Italy and involves Belgium, Germany, Spain, France, Portugal and Sweden.
The other projects include a plan for Ireland to participate in cyber defence exercises, led by the European Defence Agency (EDA).
On Newstalk Breakfast this morning, Deputy Murphy said the decision to participate in the projects is “part and parcel of the step-by-step approach of dismantling what is left of Irish neutrality”, adding, “this happens quite regularly now”.
He said the second PESCO project is aimed at creating a “multinational network” of military depots and maintenance facilities to increase Europe’s military reaction time.
“This particular PESCO project is coordinated by Germany,” he said.
“Germany is the number two exporter of military hardware to Israel and yes, we think it is an undermining of neutrality for Ireland to be participating in the shipping of military material around Europe, coordinating with Germany and others.”
Neutrality
He said he has no problem with Ireland defending its undersea infrastructure – but insisted the country doesn’t need to join a “military alliance” to do so.
“Last night, the Irish Government agreed to participate in joint military projects with a whole series of NATO countries,” he said.
“That, in my opinion, is a substantial undermining of neutrality.
“Why should we oppose that undermining of neutrality? Because it doesn't bring the world any closer to peace and it doesn't make Ireland any safer whatsoever.
“It is part of the ramp-up of military spending and militarisation around the world, above all in Europe."
Military spending
Deputy Murphy noted that the European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has called for Europe to "turbocharge its military-industrial complex with massively expanded military expenditure”.
The plan to participate in the four projects was passed by a majority of 74 TDs to 58 in the Dáil last night.
Ahead of the vote, the Tánaiste Micheál Martin criticised left-wing TDs for opposing the plan – insisting the “modest proposals” were needed to build up Ireland’s “resilience”.
You can listen back to Deputy Murphy here:
