Sir, – I was appalled to read online that Minister for Defence Simon Coveney has plans to buy fighter jets. The article went on to say that the Minister is “looking at ways of creating Ireland’s own fleet of fighter jet craft capable of firing air-to-air missiles”.
I immediately contacted the Department of Defence and was informed that “the development of a more capable air combat/intercept capability will be a consideration over the lifetime of the [Defence] White Paper”.
At a time of unparalleled homelessness and poverty in our own country and when Overseas Development Aid has been cut, the idea of even contemplating spending money on such unnecessary war machinery is beyond obscene.
Even if we weren’t still suffering from a major economic melt-down, the idea of Ireland becoming more deeply involved in the international weapons industry and joining the ranks of the world’s war-makers is sickening and immoral.
In a world riven by war and conflict – wars which have helped bring about the biggest refugee crisis since the second World War – the last thing our world needs is more countries (especially one with a formerly proud neutral tradition) acquiring the means to kill and destroy.
One wonders if the Department of Defence is taking its lead from the weapons salespeople rather than the Irish people who have consistently expressed their support for the non-aggressive foreign policy that was the trademark of our neutrality. – Yours, etc,
JOE MURRAY
Director
Afri (Action From Ireland),
Phibsborough,
Dublin 7.