Death of Irish Neutrality by a Thousand Cuts?

Download the Press Release

In recent times our Irish governments have done all they can to end Irish neutrality, against the wishes of a clear majority of the Irish people. The recent Fine Gael Ard-Fheis passed a motion effectively to scrap the Triple Lock on sending Irish soldiers on overseas missions, by eliminating the need for a UN mandate for such missions. Rather than equip our forces appropriately for genuine defence and UN-directed peacekeeping, our government seems intent on merging them with EU/NATO ventures such as PESCO, Battlegroups etc.

Our government’s unconstitutional agreement allowing the British RAF to engage in military operations within Irish sovereign airspace was another step towards fully abandoning Irish neutrality and sovereignty. The most serious ongoing breach of Irish neutrality has been our government’s decision in 2001 to turn Shannon airport into a US forward air base to wage illegal wars in the Middle East. This has made the Irish people actively complicit, against their wishes, in US and NATO war crimes and breaches of international law.

According to Edward Horgan of PANA, ‘Yet another such step is due this weekend: on Friday 25th November no fewer than four NATO warships of the Royal Netherlands Navy are authorised to visit Cork harbour (*). The vision of democracy, international law and morality is being supplanted in Ireland, Europe, and the wider world by the abuses of military power.’

To confirm this Press Release contact…

Tom Crilly, Communications Officer, PANA,

Tel 087 2937558

Edward Horgan, International Secretary, PANA,

Tel 085 8519623

Padraig Mannion, Irish Language Spokesperson, PANA,

Tel 087 6911293

For more information…

Demonstrations are planned against these NATO ships in Cork

There will be protests at Cobh on Friday at 2pm, and at Horgan’s Wharf on Saturday at 11am. Please support…

(*) NLMS Karel Doorman (A833) at 204.7 metres (672 ft) is the largest ship in service in the Netherlands navy and will be docking at the Cobh Cruise Terminal.

HNLMS Zeven Provincien (F802) is an air defence and command frigate and is due to dock at Marino Point

HNLMS Groningen (P843) is an offshore patrol ship and is due to dock at North Custom House Quay

HNLMS Van Amstel (F831) is a Guided Missile Frigate and is due to dock at J.J. Horgan’s Wharf


The Triple Lock is, at this time, the most significant legislative bulwark supporting Irish neutrality. It is the name given to Irish legislation in the Seville Declaration of the Nice Treaty, that states that members of the Irish Defence Forces shall not serve abroad without the agreement of the Dáil, the Government and the Security Council of the United Nations or UN General Assembly. See Neutrality, NATO, and the attach on Ireland’s Triple Lock

https://www.pana.ie/posts/neutrality-nato-and-the-attack-on-irelands-triple-lock

PANA AGM will take place this Saturday 26th of November, at 2.30pm, in the Irish Labour History Society, Beggars Bush, Haddington Road, D.4

(Located near the Grand Canal/Lansdowne Road DART stations, and Nos. 7/4 bus routes)

This meeting is open to all PANA members…or contact Roger

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