President says Ireland in 'drift' towards Nato, Tánaiste defends ...

The President has issued a strongly worded warning about deviating from Ireland's traditional policy on neutrality.

Michael D Higgins said the country is "playing with fire" during a dangerous period of "drift" in foreign policy - and should avoid "burying itself in other people's agendas".

His comments in today's Business Post, come ahead of a Government Forum on International Security, which meets next week in Cork, Galway, and in Dublin.

Mr Higgins said Ireland's policy was one of "positive neutrality".

“If you interfere with that, there’s no difference between you and Lithuania and Latvia,” Mr Higgins said (both Lithuania and Latvia are Nato members).

“That’s the fire that people are playing with,” he told the outlet.

He also questioned the selection of speakers at the four-day event.

In a lengthy statement, Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs Micheál Martin insisted the Government does not intend to change Ireland's policy of military neutrality.

However, he also said debate on security and defence policy is necessary.

“Since Russia’s brutal and illegal invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, which blatantly violated the UN Charter and international law and fundamentally altered the European security environment, every country in Europe has examined and re-examined its foreign, security and defence policies.

“Ireland is no different. To shy away from doing so – or to do so behind closed doors – would have been a fundamental mistake and an abrogation of responsibility.

“Ireland has consistently taken multilateralism seriously, and wants to see a strong and effective United Nations. In that context we have a responsibility to hold Russia to account, and to address the implications of its actions for the rules based international system.

“It is a fundamental duty of government to address the challenging global situation as it is today."

He said the forum is not “a binary discussion on neutrality and was never intended to be”.

“The Government have made clear that we do not intend to change Ireland’s policy of military neutrality.”

Fine Gael Minister of State for Business Neale Richmond said Mr Higgins “certainly goes close to the line” in making the comments.

“When I read the reports initially this morning I was a little bit disappointed but I have now come full circle, we want people to engage in this consultative forum. Let’s have that debate, let’s have that discussion.”

People Before Profit Paul Murphy said: "If all the militarists are so sure that Michael D Higgins is acting outside his constitutional role, why don't they go to the courts to stop him?"

He added: "Funny all the pro-NATO heads saying 'we wouldn't even be allowed into NATO', while simultaneously advocating for all the changes which mean we would be allowed into NATO.

"Do they think people are stupid?"

My opinion is Michael D Higgins has nailed it.

Socialist Party TD for Cork North Central Mick Barry believes the majority of Irish people will back the President.

"My opinion is Michael D Higgins has nailed it... I mean he says the Irish government are playing with fire, I think that's correct. He says Micheál Martin's security forum, which kicks off in Cork on Thursday, is stacked, and I think that's very true as well.

"So any attempt to silence the President on these issues in the next couple of days will cause a big crisis for the Government."