Ireland’s stance on neutrality has long been a defining characteristic of its foreign policy. However, in the wake of the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, the country is beginning to rethink its traditional stance on staying out of international disputes. With tensions rising and the world becoming increasingly interconnected, Ireland is now faced with the challenge of balancing its commitment to neutrality with the need to defend its interests and the interests of its allies. In this article, we explore the evolving conversation surrounding Ireland’s neutrality and the implications it may have for the country’s international relationships moving forward.
Ireland’s military neutrality has long been a cornerstone of its foreign policy, but recent events in Ukraine have led to a rethink of this approach. Under a “triple lock” system, Ireland needs approval from Russia, China, France, the US and the UK if it wants to deploy more than 12 soldiers to a combat zone. While Ireland’s leaders insist that military neutrality does not mean the country is politically or morally neutral, they are facing pressure to take a more active role on the global stage.
Ireland’s location between allies such as the US and the EU means it has enjoyed a “benign geography” that has allowed it to avoid the security dilemmas faced by other countries closer to Russia. However, campaigners fear that Irish neutrality is under attack as the government becomes more involved in the EU’s military training mission for Ukraine and joins meetings of the “Ukraine Defense Contact Group” set up by the US Defense Secretary to coordinate military aid to Kyiv between some 50 countries.
The Irish Neutrality League argues that the country’s diplomatic potential as a peacebuilder is being compromised. It believes that Ireland should be calling for a ceasefire in Ukraine and publicly supporting neutrality despite the pressure it faces to change course.
However, independent parliamentarian Cathal Berry argues that neutrality has been used as an excuse for naive defense policy. Ireland had the lowest defense spending of any EU member in 2021 at just 0.2% of GDP, compared to a bloc-wide average of 1.3%. Berry says that there is no automatic obligation on Ireland to send troops to any other country to intervene, but warns that there is no automatic obligation on any country to come to Ireland’s assistance if it gets into difficulty.
The Irish government is now opening up a new conversation on international security policy. Deputy Prime Minister (Tánaiste) Micheal Martin has unveiled plans for a “Consultative Forum on International Security Policy” to be held in June. Martin said that Ireland’s traditional policy of military neutrality does not inure it from the need to respond to the blatant and brutal disregard by Russia of international law and Europe’s collective security architecture.
While change is afoot, Professor Brigid Laffan thinks that what lies ahead is likely more of an evolution than a U-turn. She anticipates that Ireland will modernize its concepts of security, particularly in relation to its membership of the EU, which is becoming a more important security actor. While Ireland is unlikely to have a large army or join NATO, it may increasingly take on a more active role on the global stage.