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THE TAOISEACH BELIEVES that there will be “pressure” for increases in the European budget for military and defence in the coming years but said that it will not impact Ireland’s neutrality stance.
Micheál Martin was speaking in Cork University Hospital this morning where he opened a new helicopter landing pad. Martin said that a meeting he attended last week in Brussels was focused on defence spending and increasing security capability across the EU.
Last week The Journal revealed that a Ministerial briefing document from the Department of Defence warned incoming Minister Simon Harris that EU “tolerance” and understanding for Ireland’s neutral stance may become less as pressure mounts in Europe for a more robust security posture.
The Taoiseach denied there was frustration among European member States about Ireland’s non-alignment stance but explained that it was important for EU member States to see Ireland’s increasing of defence capability.
He said that Ireland was committed to meeting its promise to increase capability and spending as part of the action plan on Defence arising out of a study which strongly criticised Ireland’s defence structures and resourcing.
“We perhaps don’t realise here, the degree to which countries on the Baltics, Poland, others feel an existential threat from the Russian aggression in Ukraine and the conduct of the Russian war, and also the degree to which Russia is dramatically increasing its military capacities at an extraordinary rate, with figures up to 40% of Russian GDP now (being spent) on the war economy.
“So Europe feels that. And I think the issue for Ireland really is that we do, and we are on the level of ambition two as part of the Commission of Defence Forces, we are investing more in our Defence Forces and in our capability. I think that’s the key issue and I think once that is seen across Europe that we are playing our role,” he said.
Level of Ambition (LOA) Two refers to the degree needed for defence investment – Ireland has selected this from a study of Ireland’s failing security apparatus.
The Government settled on the second option but the State has committed to begin the process of moving to the more dynamic LOA Three once that is complete. LOA Three would essentially bring Ireland up to the level of other small nations such as Denmark and neutral Austria.
Ireland spends 0.2% of GDP on Defence – which is the lowest in Europe. The small island of Malta spends 0.4% and the Austrian government spends 0.9%. The EU average is 1.6%.
Poland is the highest spender on 3.3% with Nordic block countries like Denmark and Finland, which Ireland is aligned with politically, spending 2%.
“This is an area we cannot be complacent about,” he said.
Martin added that Ireland has participated in common security and defence for a number of years but that there is mounting pressure.
“I anticipate that within the European Union over the next number of years, the percentage of the budget that would be allocated to defence and military capability is going to increase, even though it will remain a national competence and a national issue.
“I do anticipate that there will be pressure for increases, but that will not undermine Irish military neutrality that fundamentally is non-alignment, non-membership,” he added.
In response to a question whether there are “frustrations” among EU States about Ireland’s neutral stance he said: “Not necessarily. I think it’s more around the capability question. In other words, investment in capability is the key issue.”
The Taoiseach added that it was critical to build a capability to be able to operate in conjunction with other European armies – known as interoperability in military speak.
“It’s a no brainer for safety of our own troops. Every army needs a weapon, every army needs ammunition.
“Some people get worried [and say] ‘Oh, why are you spending all this money?’
“You do need to equip an army. We’re part of KFOR [a NATO peacekeeping mission in Kosovo] and various peacekeeping missions and that’s why – we do have to work with people,” he added.
The Taoiseach’s comments come after Paul Murphy of People Before Profit TD Paul Murphy heavily criticised the Government’s plan to end the so-called Triple Lock.
The measure means that Ireland can only deploy troops with a combination of a UN resolution, Government approval and a vote in the Dáil.
In a statement last night Murphy, criticised the plans and called for a greater focus on neutrality.
“Instead of war mongering and spending vast sums on militarisation, we need to defend what is left of Irish neutrality and focus our resources on building the homes, the infrastructure and the public services that we desperately need.
“It is critically important that the Government attempt to remove the Triple Lock is defeated. We may not have the numbers in the Dáil to do this, but working with political parties on the left, the trade unions and progressive civil society we can mobilise vast numbers in the streets to face the government down. People Before Profit public representatives and members will work tirelessly to this end,” he said.
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