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Minister for Foreign Affairs to visit new NATO candidates Finland and Sweden today

Coveney will meet the the Foreign Affairs minister of Sweden and Finland while also meeting the Defence minister in Helsinki.

THE MINISTER FOR Foreign Affairs and Defence Simon Coveney is visiting Finland and Sweden for talks with Government ministers in both countries.

During his visit Coveney will meet with Finland’s Minister for Foreign Affairs Pekka Haavisto, with Finland’s Defence Minister Antti Kaikkonen and with Sweden’s Foreign Minister Ann Linde.

Coveney said he will use this opportunity to discuss Russia’s war against Ukraine, the security situation in Europe, Ireland’s presidency of the UN Security Council, as well as Brexit and the Northern Ireland Protocol.

The Journal has recently reported on Finland and Sweden‘s move away from neutrality and towards NATO membership. Turkey has been a stumbling block in the way of their membership.

The Department of Foreign Affairs said the visit is also an opportunity to build on the strong framework provided by the Nordic Strategy through which Ireland aims to deepen its bilateral and multilateral engagement with the Nordic region including Finland and Sweden.

“I am delighted to get an opportunity to visit with my counterparts in Helsinki and Stockholm. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is having a widespread effect globally and is a key issue for EU Member States.

“It is important that we continue to foster and develop our bilateral relations in order to meet the ongoing challenges we face together,” Coveney said. 

Coveney said that the “absolute necessity” for strong bilateral ties has never been more important.

The minister will also visit the European Centre of Excellence for Countering Hybrid Threats in Helsinki and host a working dinner with representatives from a number of Swedish think tanks and academic institutions.

He will also attend a meeting with the Chairpersons of the Foreign Affairs and Defence Committees in the Riksdag Parliament is planned while in Stockholm. 

Speaking on RTE’s Morning Ireland Coveney spoke of the shift in focus by both Finland and Sweden in their non-aligned status – he said a similar debate will happen in Ireland. 

“I’m sitting in Helsinki this morning. This is a country that up until a few months ago, consistently for decades, had no more than about 20 to 25% support for NATO membership, and now has probably about 70%, if not more support for for NATO membership were in Parliament to 200 only as people voted against joining NATO.

“So we’ve seen a huge shift in public support and political support because of what’s happened in Ukraine and because of Russian aggression, and fear of, of loss, what that means for the future.

“Of course, the debate in Ireland is very different because I don’t think the broader public in Ireland feel a direct threat from Russia to Irish sovereignty and security in the same way that that is the case here in Finland.

“But undoubtedly, there is debate happening across the European Union, whether it’s in Finland and Sweden, where I’m where I am today, or indeed in many other countries, where there is a lot of discussion now around how the EU secures its future. And, and protects its people and Ireland needs to be part of that debate,” he said. 

Coveney added that he was set to bring “a very significant memo to government” recommending a significant increase in expenditure on defense.

He said that there was “a very clear evidence base” for great investment in Irish national security following the Commission on the Defence Forces.

“And we need to move ahead as well with an open mind I think on broader debates around what neutrality means today, versus what it might have meant 10 years ago, or five years ago or even six months. ago, because that debate is changing.

“It’s moving on in the European Union and we need to be part of the thing…” he added. 

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49 Comments
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    Mute Des Hanrahan
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    Jun 7th 2022, 10:29 AM

    Wow, the Journal are really pushing out the, ‘let’ s join NATO’ propaganda. Two articles in less than 24 hours. Coveny has been pushing that position for years so no surprise.

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    Mute Jonathan O'Riordan
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    Jun 7th 2022, 10:36 AM

    @Des Hanrahan: Ukraine were not in NATO and look where that got them. We need to have the debate

    181
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    Mute JedBartlett
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    Jun 7th 2022, 10:38 AM

    @Jonathan O’Riordan: Who do you think is going to invade us?

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    Mute David Bourke
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    Jun 7th 2022, 10:47 AM

    @Des Hanrahan:

    The neutrality-brigade out in force to demand we bury our heads in the sand and ignore the war in Europe.

    Neither article has made a pro-NATO statement. If the facts and events bother you, that’s not a reason for a media blackout.

    Do you want a media blackout on all NATO/Defense related issues and events? Shameful. If you are against defense funding, present your arguments, but you don’t have the right to shut down all discussion on these issues just because you’re an isolationist.

    123
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    Mute Larry Smierciak
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    Jun 7th 2022, 10:48 AM

    @Jonathan O’Riordan: If you’re happy sitting in relative comfort here in Ireland letting other’s ensure our security, have at it. I for one think if we are truly, as we purport to be, neutral (we are not by the way, we are militarily non-aligned) then we need to be able to defend ourselves which at the moment we can’t. It’s high time we provided our defence forces with real equipment and pay them a living wage to attract new members.

    84
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    Mute Stephen Watson
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    Jun 7th 2022, 10:50 AM

    @JedBartlett: What roque eastern nation wouldn’t want an 84,000 km² island in the north Atlantic strategically between the US & EU?

    79
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    Mute Stephen Watson
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    Jun 7th 2022, 10:51 AM

    @Stephen Watson: *rogue

    15
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    Mute JedBartlett
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    Jun 7th 2022, 10:58 AM

    @Stephen Watson: If the Russians manage to get to our door and invade us then NATO(whether we’re in it or not) will have wholly failed prior to that happening.

    51
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    Mute David Bourke
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    Jun 7th 2022, 11:04 AM

    @JedBartlett:

    If Russia launches a naval assault on Ireland, NATO is under no obligation to defend us. Taking Ireland would give Russia a western platform for launching war in Europe.

    62
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    Mute FiannaFáilness FineGaelness
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    Jun 7th 2022, 11:13 AM

    @Des Hanrahan: Jesus the pro-let’s sign up to NATO etc. gang are really ramping it up today aren’t they. No thanks, Military non-alignment for me.

    94
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    Mute JedBartlett
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    Jun 7th 2022, 11:16 AM

    @David Bourke: Ah lads, calm down will ye. Everyone can see how ill prepared their army is for anything resembling an invasion so far from their own border.
    All this handwringing is just another symptom of the fragile minded society we’re living in. Everyone is terrified of some bogeyman.

    If you cowboys want to play war and live out your Top Gun fantasy, you can line up somebody else’s children for the fight because mine won’t be dying due to the ineptitude of champagne swilling politicans.

    88
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    Mute David Bourke
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    Jun 7th 2022, 11:31 AM

    @JedBartlett:

    The “bogeyman” who has recently started the biggest war in Europe since WW2. When Britain retreated from Dunkirk, they changed their strategy and adapted to the new way of war. Russia will likely do the same. Unfortunately the Ukrainians are now taking much heavier losses, as the Russians have adapted to Ukrainian strategy.

    Nobody is “fragile minded” for realising how underfunded and underequipped our military is. A well prepared army is not a prelude to war, it is a deterrent that can prevent a war from taking place.

    Do try to present some actual arguments rather than flinging around insults like a child.

    War happens. Today it is not a hypothetical, there is a war in Europe, on the border of our economic union. If you want to bury your head in the sand, go ahead, but don’t try to dismiss the dangers to Ireland.

    43
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    Mute JG
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    Jun 7th 2022, 11:43 AM

    @Des Hanrahan: u need to learn what propaganda is.. Misleading or politically biased in order to promote a particular point of view and in order to get others to believe it. Me thinks you are misleading and are politically biased, trying to promote your political bias.. Ohh look… Propaganda

    22
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    Mute JG
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    Jun 7th 2022, 11:46 AM

    @JedBartlett: they have already been here on recon missions, both by air and by submarine. They also hold a substantial piece of information gathering property in their over sized and over populated “embassy”.
    Wake up and smell the ruskies.

    28
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    Mute JedBartlett
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    Jun 7th 2022, 12:24 PM

    @David Bourke: I’ll stop dismissing any supposed dangers when you stop inflating them.

    Anybody who thinks the Russians will be kicking in our door anytime soon is engaging in hysterical thinking.

    Also, what arguments are you presenting other than ‘the Russians are coming, the Russians are coming’?

    I’m not saying our defense force isn’t underfunded, they are, but talk of joining NATO or some European defense alliance is too far in my opinion.
    There is clearly an agenda at play here with the interviews with Eastern European military personnel re neutrality, articles about us buying second hand jets, Minister Coveney off to talk NATO in Finland etc.. The ground is being softened and as far I’m concerned they can soften it somewhere else, I’ll be voting no when any referendum on this comes, and it will come.

    52
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    Mute Tom Leddy
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    Jun 7th 2022, 12:28 PM

    @David Bourke: Que the question asking if you’d be happy to send your children to fight wars for the UK and the US. Some people aren’t able to get their heads around the difference between joining NATO and joining an EU defence alliance. What they fail or don’t want to accept is that our neutrality would be safer as part of an EU defence alliance.

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    Mute Roy Dowling
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    Jun 7th 2022, 12:39 PM

    @Stephen Watson: One that is thousands of miles from said nation. One that wouldn’t control the whole irland that nation is part of. One that woul need to tie up huge portions of it manpower and equipment I order to take and hold this country, and then set up a border between this country and Northern Ireland to stop the free movement of their enemies crossing the border. One that would need to deploy massive portion of its fleet to patrol our waters to prevent outside help entering this country by the sea. One that doesn’t leave that portion of its fleet between the British and US navy’s. To take and hold this island is a massive undertaking for a nation thousands of miles away and it doesn’t gain them any strategic advantage.

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    Mute Roy Dowling
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    Jun 7th 2022, 12:51 PM

    @David Bourke: What platform would taking Ireland offer Russia? We’re an island country if they take is their forces on this country would be surrounded by the US, British, the rest of NATO’s Navys and air forces. Being surrounded is an advantage of you ask me. But you seem to be a master tactician so tell me how would you use Ireland as an advantage when surrounded?

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    Mute JedBartlett
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    Jun 7th 2022, 12:58 PM

    @Tom Leddy: What you seem not to be able to get your head around is that fact that our neutrality wouldn’t be safer, it simply wouldn’t exist if we joined an EU defense alliance.

    We are militarily neutral now, that wouldn’t be the case if we joined an EU defense alliance.

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    Mute David Bourke
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    Jun 7th 2022, 1:31 PM

    @Tom Leddy:

    I don’t support the idea of Ireland joining NATO and I never have. However, there is a debate to be had on Ireland’s stance on neutrality. I don’t believe it is a tenable position anymore. An EU defense partnership is vital, and it requires us to increase military spending, and commit to defending our allies.

    There are far too many Irish people who believe in neutrality at all costs.

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    Mute Roy Dowling
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    Jun 7th 2022, 1:38 PM

    @Tom Leddy: Do you think it’s a coincidence that every NATO member state had ground troops in Iraq? Any idea what a nation like Iceland would become an agressor and send troops to a war in a foreign country?. They wasn’t any terrorist attacks in Iceland before they sent troops to Iraq. Only link between Iceland and Iraq was Iceland is a NATO member state. So yes you sign up to NATO your forces could be sent to fright wars stated the the US and UK. Just like Iceland

    24
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    Mute Killian O'Sullivan
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    Jun 7th 2022, 2:24 PM

    @JedBartlett: Nothing NATO could do to prevent a Russian armada unlikely as it is from sailing into Cork Harbor and establishing a Naval base on the Atlantic. NATO would stay out of it for the same reasons that they are staying out of Ukraine.

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    Mute Tom Leddy
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    Jun 7th 2022, 2:35 PM

    @Roy Dowling: I never said I supported the idea of Ireland joining NATO. Read my comment again. I do however believe that we may need to consider being part of an EU defence alliance and maintain our neutrality at the same time.

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    Mute Tom Quin
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    Jun 7th 2022, 4:39 PM

    @Stephen Watson: Russia is struggling to invade the country next door, how is she going to invade Ireland with her mid 1970s navy?

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    Mute Alan Richard Scott Jr.
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    Jun 7th 2022, 4:48 PM

    @David Bourke: we are part of Europe which has a common defence pact also.

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    Mute Jonathan O'Riordan
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    Jun 7th 2022, 9:43 PM

    @JedBartlett: I know it won’t be the USA

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    Mute Jonathan O'Riordan
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    Jun 7th 2022, 9:46 PM

    @Larry Smierciak: where do you get that I either don’t support increased self defence capabilities

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    Mute Paul
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    Jun 7th 2022, 11:00 AM

    A neutral Country does not take sides

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    Mute Paul Hedderman
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    Jun 7th 2022, 11:10 AM

    @Paul: A neutral country can still condemn the actions of an aggressor

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    Mute Stephen Kearon
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    Jun 7th 2022, 11:18 AM

    @Paul: Ireland is currently militarily neutral, it is not however politically neutral, so has rightly condemned the aggression of Putin.

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    Mute Eoin Roche
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    Jun 7th 2022, 12:50 PM

    @Paul: Even the Swiss have taken sides on this one lad. The parallels with the ambitions of Hitler in the 1930s and the decades of carnage that brought to Europe, are only ignored by fools.

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    Mute Paul Furey
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    Jun 7th 2022, 12:55 PM

    @Paul: talk to Sweden, Finland and Switzerland. They are neutral as they are able to defend their neutrality, if needed….but guess what. We depend on the brits to protect the edges of our airspace. We cannot defend our neutrality. We’re only neutral because someone sometime said we are. We’re not really.

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    Mute Jack Byrne
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    Jun 9th 2022, 12:21 PM

    @Paul: Ireland is not neutral we are a tiny nonaligned defenseless country protected by our geographical location. Our de facto air force is the RAF, how’s that for “neutrality”?

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    Mute Brian Burns
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    Jun 7th 2022, 10:39 AM

    They must have wined and dined this Niall reporter at the slandail eu funded think in..like the girl who wrote a favorable article after been invited for a nicey little tour of the NMH

    106
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    Mute David Bourke
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    Jun 7th 2022, 10:52 AM

    @Brian Burns:

    Yes yes Brian, absolutely no discussion on NATO or defense policy during a massive war in Europe. Very smart, no debate, no discussion, and try to shut down all discourse on the matter.

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    Mute Brian Burns
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    Jun 7th 2022, 12:11 PM

    @David Bourke: the government are more than entitled to debate this openly but don’t use the media to fool us into a false sense of fear as media put out midnight stories under the must read heading guaranteeing top billing on the journals page for a few hours from a think tank who’s main objective is too increase military cooperation between European countries

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    Mute David Bourke
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    Jun 7th 2022, 12:15 PM

    @Brian Burns:

    So you want a media blackout while the government debates it in secret?

    They’re reporting the news and the odd article. You lot need to get a grip and realise that we’re in a free open society, you don’t get to shut down debate because you don’t like the subject.

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    Mute Brian Burns
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    Jun 7th 2022, 12:32 PM

    @David Bourke:a common approach on here is “you lot” when not agreeing with an opinion,purposely done insinuating I might be part of a coordinated campaign or one side of the political spectrum..so which “you lot” do I belong to David?

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    Mute Paul Maguire
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    Jun 7th 2022, 12:22 PM

    The IT, Indo, and the journal spin it like the Boogeyman is coming to get you if we don’t join NATO… Simon or the rest of the government won’t worry when they are sending DF’s personnel to a war zone

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    Mute Jack Cass
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    Jun 7th 2022, 1:22 PM

    Another reason, if one was needed, not to vote FG in the next General Election. It won’t be Coveney’s sons and daughters going off to fight in wars.

    A question for SF supporters -”what is SF’s stance on this matter?”

    52
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    Mute Eoin Roche
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    Jun 7th 2022, 2:18 PM

    @Jack Cass: ah you’ll never get a straight answer to that. For decades they were anti-EU and pro their own private Army styling itself as ‘Óglaigh Na hÉireann’, trying to undermine the constitutional Defence Forces of the State. Now all of a sudden we’re expected to believe that all that legacy has just evaporated.

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    Mute Robert Dowling
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    Jun 7th 2022, 12:36 PM

    Ireland currently depends on NATO nations for our security.
    The UK provides for our air defence, we are a defenceless nation rather than being a true neutral nation.
    Whatever the future is, Ireland needs to invest a lot in military hardware and recruitment, just to be a functional military capable of basic defence in areas of air, sea, land and cybersecurity.

    Then can we really hide behind neutrality when we know which countries are our friends and allies who hold similar viewpoints as ourselves.
    Some argue ‘but who will attack Ireland’ we got attacked with a Russian hack of our health system last year. This from under investing in security.

    If Ireland was attacked we would be expecting others to help us, but some feel we are too precious to help others.
    Neutrality in the current world is not a strength when used to not help others when it’s needed.
    Neutrality in Ireland doesn’t exist when we need others to protect us.
    I don’t understand people who equate being defenceless as being neutral.
    Whatever happens, Ireland will need to spend a lot on the defence forces.
    I believe we need to align with countries we would expect to help us – and it is this expectation and lack of investment that has caused us to not invest, we have been like parasites feeding on the defence spending of others, in the ‘sure who would attack us, sure the Americans, Brits and EU nations would come to our aid.
    This needs to stop and we need to look at how we base our neutrality due to the security of other nations give us.
    We need to align with those who give us security.

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    Mute Killian O'Sullivan
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    Jun 7th 2022, 2:35 PM

    @Robert Dowling: Probably your best post on the matter!

    12
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    Mute Garreth Byrne
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    Jun 7th 2022, 12:03 PM

    Security of our Atlantic approaches is important for fisheries protection, detection of contraband smuggling and foreign naval vessel activity. It doesn’t necessarily mean joining an EU military alliance.

    23
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    Mute Roger Bond
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    Jun 7th 2022, 1:28 PM

    Does anyone know SFs stance on neutrality and joining NATO.
    SF will be in the next Government so their stance is important.

    20
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    Mute Eoin Roche
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    Jun 7th 2022, 2:19 PM

    @Roger Bond: Will they now? Interesting.

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    Mute Niall O'Reilly
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    Jun 7th 2022, 11:57 AM

    We should definitely strengthen our military so as to be able to effectively secure our seas and our civilians in case of attack by rogue states or natural disasters. Bring back military service so everyone is trained to be an effective citizens who can be a proud contributor to our society and be educated to share the same values regarding our respect to others and our environment. Rogues in government are not so far away!!

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    Mute The Red Devil
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    Jun 7th 2022, 1:45 PM

    To be fair the conversation needs to be had re: joining or not joining etc and the pros and cons laid out – Journal would be a good pole to judge the feeling of the readership in terms of how people feel about joining or not

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    Mute John Farrant
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    Jun 8th 2022, 8:58 PM

    Why is this happening. ??
    More hidden government agendas ??

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