Neutrality key at Leeside anti-war meeting

A likely Irish presidential candidate was the main speaker at an anti-war public meeting in Cork city yesterday.

Senator Frances Black, who has indicated her interest in standing in this year’s presidential election, was one of three speakers at the Imperial Hotel last night.

Ms Black was joined by Cork comedian, filmmaker and political activist Tadhg Hickey and political campaigner and rapper Brian Cuthbert.

Entitled Stop the Rush to War: Save Our Neutrality, Save the Triple Lock, the meeting was jointly hosted by the Cork branch of Action Against War and the Cork Neutrality League.

Senator Black has been to the forefront of Oireachtas opposition to the Government’s forthcoming bill to abolish the Triple Lock, a piece legislation which states that permission from the UN and an Irish Government decision are needed before more than 12 members of the Irish Defence Forces are deployed on overseas missions. The Irish Government’s forthcoming bill would remove the necessity for UN authorisation.

Senator Black said that national declarations committing governments to the Triple Lock were instrumental in the eventual passing of the EU Nice (2002) and Lisbon (2008) treaties. She also said that the bill, if passed, will weaken neutrality, which she has said is “now under clear threat from this Government”.

At last night’s public meeting, Senator Black reiterated a claim she made on the Triple Lock and neutrality in a Seanad debate on 5 March, when she said: “Ireland's long and proud tradition of military neutrality is under existential threat.”

She continued: “Military neutrality is a policy that has enjoyed the overwhelming support of the Irish people in successive opinion polls. Public outrage about this matter in recent weeks has been tangible and clear.

They have a right to be consulted on this massive change to our foreign relations.”

In last week’s Seanad debate, Senator Black also objected to Government defence spending plans.

“I am deeply concerned by reports that the Tánaiste, Deputy Harris, has begun preparations for the purchase of a fleet of fighter jets at a cost to the Exchequer of between €60 million and €100 million per year,” said the senator.