What Exactly is Irish Neutrality? | First Thought Talks

What Exactly is Irish Neutrality? | First Thought Talks | GIAF 2023

Рет қаралды 3,018

10 ай бұрын

First Thought Talks 2023: Diarmaid Ferriter, Conor Gallagher, Catherine Connolly and Fintan O’Toole, in conversation with Katie Hannon, discuss Irish Neutrality
Irish neutrality has become a topic for discussion since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022. How did we become neutral? In what way are we neutral? Does neutrality need legislative or constitutional protection?
Katie Hannon of RTÉ will moderate a discussion between Diarmaid Ferriter, Professor of Modern Irish History at UCD, Conor Gallagher, Crime and Security Correspondent with The Irish Times and author of a new book on neutrality, Catherine Connolly T.D. and Fintan O’Toole author of We Don’t Know Ourselves.
First Thought Talks are presented in association with University of Galway.
Watch more talks online: www.giaf.ie/talks/
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Пікірлер: 36

@charleskristiansson1296 6 ай бұрын

Ireland's neutrality is a crucial part of her being. We will serve neither King nor Kaiser but Ireland. NATO is not for Ireland.

@AChapstickOrange 5 ай бұрын

I would go so far as to say that Ireland's isolationism, for whatever historical reasons it came about, comes very close to mirroring the the arrogant self-exceptionalism in the English that brought about Brexit. I'd say it's long past time Ireland started building bridges instead of insisting that centuries-old burnt ones look so beautiful.

@neilodonohoe3841 2 ай бұрын

Irelands neutrality is and always was farce. We hide behind the US and UK and pretend we hold the moral high ground.

@monkeykingeater 2 ай бұрын

@@AChapstickOrange The surest way to build bridges is of course to form more military pacts, not, for instance, trade, diplomacy and a strict adherence to international law.

@Satakarnak Ай бұрын

Who protects your airspace? Who protects your waters from submarines? The UK and NATO. The Uk and NATO. @@monkeykingeater

@steveharrison-vj6th 14 күн бұрын

Ireland is a part of western democracy. Is it prepared to be a part of its collective security'?

Ай бұрын

I think the lady at the very end,is spot on.

@kevinmartin5489 2 ай бұрын

Ireland has other priorities like housing & infrastructure, it still hasnt caught up to its neighbours levels of development. Most of this century so far has seen a fascination with war in the west, which has stalled building infrastructure. In the end, wars benefit nobody, not even the fools who start them. Thats a loop played out time & time again in history, but the fascination returns, never the less.

@AChapstickOrange 5 ай бұрын

It's not 1922 anymore. It's 2024. The stakes are beyond calculation. Sweden was neutral far, far earlier and longer than Ireland ever was, and they've woken up and smelled the coffee. It's time for Ireland to step up and stand with its friends. Well past time, frankly.

@johnnotrealname8168 3 ай бұрын

It might show how worthless Sweden was.

@bikeman9899 2 ай бұрын

Exactly!

@monkeykingeater 2 ай бұрын

Its friends who back genocide? Who'd rather take naval action against the Houthis blockade than impose even symbolic sanctions on Israel? No friends of mine

@MrBsmurfy Ай бұрын

I'd like to live on whatever world catherine connolly does! Unfortunately its not the one i live on. If i am mugged/assaulted/attacked on the street i would hope that bystanders would intervene. I dont see why the same rationale cant be applied to countries. The UN unfortunately is not fit for purpose given countries ability to veto significant action. An eu army is the logical step.

@martinmcgowan4591 18 күн бұрын

War is a racket .smedley Butler

@johnnotrealname8168 8 ай бұрын

First and what I do not understand is that this crisis, instead of making people question how neutrality can be better applied in the modern world, makes people think whether Ireland should be neutral. Why is the Irish military so small (Yeah, population but conscription come on!)? Expand it and your influence will improve. Neutrality is a noble thing and allows you to perhaps be a part of a settlement after the War, I mean in case they are needed on the border. Constitutional law is merely establishing something that already is in the spirit of the nation and establishing it so that it is better protected. The issue, especially with Irish Constitutional law, is that it is based on the popular will, which can be swayed pretty hard. Edit: All 28:38 proves is that public opinion is fickle as I just mentioned. Also were there only pro-abortion experts or something? The bit about N.A.T.O. reinforces this. Edit2: What is meant at 37:50 exactly? Donald John Trump never opposed N.A.T.O. in theory but few of the members were giving to the agreed amount thus U.S. interests were damaged (The U.S. was subsidising European welfare projects through their protective umbrella.), in fact they still are not giving enough. On Russia he had pleasant relations (No new invasions.) but was prepared to face-off when necessary (He kicked out dozens of Russian agents after the Salisbury poisonings (2018), gave the anti-tank weapons to Ukraine and halted Nord-Stream 2.).

@davidmccarter9479 7 ай бұрын

Every member of the EU needs to make a contribution to the joint defence of the community. Ireland is sadly lacking. And Ireland now is strategic and is a target. Ireland can’t defend its seabed.

@charleskristiansson1296 6 ай бұрын

This can be done without NATO. This can be pan-European.

@johnnotrealname8168 5 ай бұрын

Ireland only accepted the Lisbon Treaty (2009) because they were exempted from such a scheme.

@johnnotrealname8168 5 ай бұрын

@@charleskristiansson1296 The only non-European states in N.A.T.O. are the U.S. and Canada. Europe should pull it's own weight.

@AChapstickOrange 5 ай бұрын

@@charleskristiansson1296 That "pan-European" effort is speculative and contingent. NATO exists right now.

@mikki3562 2 ай бұрын

NATO is the military incarnation of the British empire. Britain was the central power bringing together the European countries and the two Anglo Saxon North American countries to establish NATO. Essentially the alliance replaced the British empire, which was in decline, by dovetailing into the dominant US worldwide military power. The discussion here is generally correct but it is only descriptive, it does not define NATO, and somehow ignores the fact that the six-counties, Irish national territory, is also NATO territory. The malleable, fictional neutrality the panel is discussing can never be properly defined or even defended unless we simultaneously assert the demand for NATO withdrawal from the whole of Ireland, which was probably the elephant in the room when the issue first emerged and is still the elephant in the room, not being talked about.

@andrewcombe8907 3 ай бұрын

If you are serious about defending Irish sovereignty while being neutral you Paddies better get a serious defence force with conscription like Switzerland, Austria and Singapore. You can’t even defend your own airforce but leave it to the RAF.

@johnbyrne6631 2 ай бұрын

Neutrality is hypocritical and cowardly

@FranzBieberkopf 8 ай бұрын

Ireland has historically underinvested in it's armed forces so much that I doubt NATO would let them in. Ireland would gain a lot, and NATO, especially the UK. would have to let Ireland continue to freeload off other people's military budget indefinitely till Ireland made that investment in their military..

@charleskristiansson1296 6 ай бұрын

Ireland's neutrality outweighs NATO.

@johnnotrealname8168 5 ай бұрын

Ironically the only reason Ireland did not join N.A.T.O. was because of partition.

@AChapstickOrange 5 ай бұрын

How would that be different from right now, except we could count on Ireland to do its part for us the way it's clearly depending on all of us to do our part for it?

@bikeman9899 3 ай бұрын

Deputy Connolly is clearly well meaning and well intentioned. Her ideology, "peace is good, war is bad", is wonderful. However, in reality, war mongers exist , and Ireland is completely unable to defend herself. As Fintan pointed out, IRL has been attacked by Russia twice already. Connolly has no answer to the reality of the dangers IRL faces. Terribly naive. She confuses defense with aggression. No one would suggest IRL would promote war, which will never happen. The first obligation of every independent state is the ability to defend itself. IRL is freeloading off NATO. It's shameful.

@johnnotrealname8168 3 ай бұрын

@@bikeman9899 Ireland has no ability to defend herself and the new opportunities displayed by the War in Ukraine (2014-) is tantalising for a smaller budget.