It makes sense to have a public debate about Ireland’s security and defence position in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Minister for Finance Paschal Donohoe has said while visiting Finland.
Mr Donohoe said he had been briefed during his trip about the burgeoning debate on the topic in Finland, which borders Russia and where an opinion poll this week showed a majority favoured Nato membership, in a profound shift for the traditionally neutral country.
Asked whether Ireland could have a similar debate about its security and defence policy, Mr Donohoe said that neutrality had been the cornerstone of Irish international diplomacy and made a “big difference” in winning a seat on the United Nations Security council.
“But it is really appropriate now that we consider our response to a world that has changed, and I expect that public debate is going to continue in Ireland,” Mr Donohoe said.
“I can already see in Ireland a discussion that is beginning regarding the commitments that we have to follow Europeans, and to our fellow members of the European Union with regard to security and defense.”
The Report of the Commission on Defence Forces earlier this week had turned out to be “timely” in terms of providing options that the Irish government could take, he said.
Debate
The invasion has reignited debate about neutrality and defence in Finland and Sweden, which has also seen a public opinion shift in favour of Nato membership, according to a poll by its public broadcaster.
Both countries have begun attending Nato meetings and their foreign ministers will join an extraordinary summit of Nato and the EU on Friday, and made a decision to send military arms to Ukraine.
The invasion has transformed policy in a number of countries, with neutral Switzerland breaking with prior policy to join the EU in sanctioning Russia, and Germany abandoning years of reluctance towards defence spending to announce a cash injection of €100 billion.
