County calls for open debate on neutrality

Cork County Council has written to the Government asking why a citizen’s assembly on Irish neutrality was bypassed in favour of last month’s Consultative Forum on International Security Policy.

The wording of the letter was agreed upon following a vote by members to amend an original motion put forward by Independent Cllr Liam Quaide.

Last week Mr Quaide had asked that the council would write to the 3 party leaders in Government calling for the establishment of a Citizen’s Assembly on Irish neutrality and security policy and investment.

Cllr Quaide said the subject of neutrality is one of the most “vexed and divisive” in Irish public discourse, and is “mostly thrashed out in a froth of angst and outrage on Twitter, or in an occasional opinion piece”.

“A remarkable feature of the neutrality debate is that we have yet to have it in any kind of systematic or considered format,” said the East Cork councillor.

He added: “The exception to this was the Tánaiste’s recent Consultative Forum on International Security Policy, which drew some justified criticism for bypassing a more inclusive Citizens’ Assembly.”

Last month, Tánaiste Micheál Martin, who is also the Minister for Defence and Foreign Affairs, kicked off a 4 day Consultative Forum on International Security Policy at UCC. The forum, which involved 80 speakers with various expertise on international security policy, continued in Galway the following day before heading to Dublin for 2 days.

At the forum, Mr Martin said Russia’s brutal and illegal invasion of Ukraine has fundamentally changed the geopolitical and security landscape in Europe.

“In its wake, countries all over Europe have examined and re-examined their foreign, security, and defence policies. Ireland is no different. To shy away from doing so – or to do so behind closed doors – would be a fundamental mistake and an abrogation of responsibility,” said the Tánaiste.

However, Cllr Quaide said he believes many Irish politicians who lean towards joining an international military alliance are afraid to express their position.

“Indeed, this was the main criticism of the recent forum. It's time in my view for security experts and public reps who have legitimate arguments that challenge our neutrality status to have the courage of their convictions.

“Citizens' Assemblies are sometimes criticised for kicking the can down the road on policy-making. Neutrality, however, is so divisive an issue it warrants as inclusive and wide-ranging a debate.”

Cllr Quaide said his own inclination towards a move away from neutrality was crystallised by a trip to Ukraine last year.

“The effects of Ukraine’s exclusion from NATO were grimly evident in settlements such as Borodyanka which was occupied by the Russian army for several weeks in 2022 and partly destroyed, and its citizens terrorised,” he said.

Cllr Gearoid Murphy (FF) said he agreed with Cllr Quaide for the most part but called for an amendment to his motion as he felt it would commit the council to a position on a citizen’s assembly. He also said that addressing the letter to the 3 party leaders in Government rather than to the appropriate minister would make it “difficult to see the motion as anything other than partisan”.

He said: “Citizen's assemblies are not for everything; they certainly have a place but if they were the answer for everything, there would frankly be no need for a Dáil.”

Cllr Murphy proposed that the motion be amended to: “That Cork County Council would write to the Department of Defence asking why a simple citizen's assembly was not established on Irish neutrality and security policy and investment”.

The amendment was put to a vote and was passed with 30 votes for, 6 against, and 6 abstentions.