Irish troops and NATO assessors
Deputy Boyd Barrett warned that NATO assessors evaluating Irish troops showed stealth movement toward NATO membership and a threat to neutrality. The Tánaiste denied any plan to join NATO, noted existing EU and partnership-for-peace co-operation, and said the Defence Minister could respond further.
In the last few hours, thejournal.ie reported that Irish troops were being assessed by NATO assessors in the uplands of north Cork, between Mitchelstown and Fermoy. They were being assessed by a US Navy commander, Sam Mason, who is part of the NATO command. Very worryingly, Commandant Daire Roache explained that this is "part of a program that is for partner nations within NATO." Every week, we see further evidence that this Government is trying to destroy what is left of our neutrality and bring us in with NATO by stealth. How on earth can anyone look at this report and see anything other than the Irish Government pushing into a military alliance with NATO, destroying our neutrality?
Comment on this
The Government has no plans to join NATO or any other military alliance. We are involved in security and defence co-operation through PESCO with the European Union. We also co-operate with NATO through the partnership for peace and have done for a very long time. I have not seen the report the Deputy mentioned so I cannot comment on it but I will ask the Minister for Defence to come back to him directly.