Sir, – I am writing to express my concern over the Taoiseach’s recent assertion that any decision regarding Ireland joining Nato would be a policy decision for the Irish Government, and would not require a referendum (“Ireland would not need referendum to join Nato, says Taoiseach”, June 8th)
As a career humanitarian professional who has worked in a range of contentious geopolitical contexts, including Libya, Pakistan and Iran, I have more than once felt that Ireland’s neutrality afforded me a higher degree of security, influence and trust than my colleagues from non-neutral countries.
I firmly believe that the same applies with regard to the Irish nation at large. In my view, our neutrality is our security.
As a neutral country, we are less likely to be subjected to aggression from state and non-state actors.
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At the same time, Ireland’s neutrality boosts our soft power and grants us a key role as a trusted interlocutor between parties who are in conflict.
This is evidenced by the fact that Minister of Foreign Affairs and Defence Simon Coveney was invited to Tehran in February of this year to discuss the restoration of the Iranian nuclear agreement, the JCPOA.
In my view, a decision by the Government to join Nato without holding a referendum would be detrimental to the security of Irish citizens at home and abroad; would reduce our ability to exercise our soft power, and, given that the majority of Irish people support neutrality, would be contrary to the will of the Irish people.
– Yours, etc,
SHANE BRADY,
Aughrim, Co Wicklow.