Paul Murphy warns neutrality undermined by EU procurement and NATO meetings
Paul Murphy criticised moves he said undermine Irish neutrality, pointing to Ireland's backing of an EU plan for joint military procurement, attendance at NATO meetings and imminent participation in a military training exercise for Ukrainian troops. He defended Ireland as "military neutral", rejected the idea the state is a protagonist in the war, and emphasised humanitarian assistance and refugee reception for Ukraine.
Recent developments
He highlighted Ireland's reported support for an EU scheme for member states to jointly purchase military equipment, plus in-person participation at two meetings at NATO headquarters in Brussels and one meeting at NATO Allied Air Command at Rammstein Air Base in Germany. He also noted a press statement describing a mission intended - in its words - to contribute to enhancing the military capability of Ukraine's armed forces.
Neutrality and support for Ukraine
Murphy insisted Ireland remains militarily neutral and argued it is not acting as a protagonist in the conflict. He said the State has welcomed Ukrainian refugees and allocated humanitarian aid, framing Ireland's actions as support for Ukraine's territorial integrity, sovereignty and the rights of its people.
Response to colleagues and sanctions
He challenged suggestions by other Deputies that Putin's sanctions against Irish figures proved Ireland had abandoned neutrality, calling that implication outrageous. He criticised what he described as repeated whataboutery and a tendency to focus criticism more on Europe and the West than on Russia.
Parliamentary procedure and questions
Murphy asked whether there would be a vote in the Dáil on these matters and pushed back on claims that recent actions endangered the Irish Defence Forces, arguing the measures taken were support for a country that has been invaded.
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The latest in the undermining of what is left of neutrality and participation in a process of European militarisation is reported today with Ireland backing a plan for EU member states to team up to jointly purchase military equipment. That comes on top of the revelation that Ireland participated in person at two meetings happening at NATO headquarters in Brussels over the past couple of months and one meeting at NATO Allied Air Command at the Rammstein Air Base in Germany. It also comes just before participation in a military training exercise for Ukrainian troops. I quote from the press statement, the aim of the mission is to contribute to enhancing the military capability of Ukraine's armed forces. It's clearly a full spectrum. Will there be a vote in the Dáil? Thank you, Deputy McBarrie. And I also want to say then in terms of Deputy Boyd Barrett's point, I'm very, very distortable about what the Deputy has said. You're almost kind of effectively have justified Putin's decision in sanctioning my good self and others. You said it's a worrying sign in terms of the reputation of this country as a neutral country. No, it's not. We're seen as protagonists. We're seen by Putin. We're seen as protagonists. By Putin. We're seen by Putin as a protagonist and you sort of say, he's right. T-shirt you should be worried because Putin has sanctioned you. I mean, I don't understand where you're coming from, Deputy. Genuinely. And then you add on that dangerous line about endangering the Irish defence forces because Putin is a bully and is intimidated and is trying to intimidate people. I think you should withdraw any implication or suggestion by you that Putin sanctioning the Taoiseach of the day in this country is somehow confirmation that Ireland is not neutral. We are military neutral. We are military neutral. We're not protagonists in this war. We've welcomed Ukrainian refugees into this country. We've allocated humanitarian aid to Ukraine. We've worked with our colleagues in the European Union. We are part of the European Union, which is a political bloc, which values liberal democracies and has no truck and does not believe in terms of the... Sorry, Europe is the biggest donor to Palestine. And that is your classic line on this. And that's why I doubt your commitment totally. Because you keep on talking about it's all whataboutery with you, Deputy. Byer Barrett. Oh, of course, we condemn you, say, and then you move on. But I always note your emphasis. I always note where you focus. And it's always predominantly. It's always predominantly against Europe. It's always predominantly against the West. And less so, I have to be frank with you, less so against Russia. You throw out the one line about Russia and you move quickly on. That has been the hallmark of all of your contributions in this crisis. And I take issue with what you have said in respect of Putin's sanctioning of my good self as somehow confirmation that we're perceived no longer to be neutral. I mean, that is outrageous assertion. And we are militarily a neutral country. We are not members of any alliance. We are not members of any alliance. Sorry. We're taking sides on behalf of a country that has been invaded. On the basis of an imperialist 19th century view. That Ukraine has no right to exist. And you're saying we're taking sides? Thank you, Tisha. Absolutely, we're supporting Ukraine in its right to its territorial integrity and sovereignty and the rights of the Ukrainian people to a decent life, not to be bombed every single day by a despot. Thank you, Tisha. Thank you.
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