Neutrality Roadshow comes to Mullingar this Wednesday
The Neutrality Roadshow, a nationwide campaign of political education events, is coming to Mullingar this week as part of its effort to mobilise opposition to government moves to dismantle Ireland’s long-standing Triple Lock on overseas military deployments.
The Triple Lock requires the approval of the government, the Dáil and a United Nations mandate before more than a dozen Defence Forces personnel can be sent on missions abroad. In March, ministers signed off on legislation aimed at removing the system, a move critics say undermines Ireland’s neutrality and opens the door to deeper military alignment with NATO and EU security policy.
Organisers say the roadshow was created in frustration at what they see as limited public debate on the issue, and out of concern that neutrality – a policy strongly supported by the Irish public – is being quietly eroded.
Local activist Mags Glennon, from Reynella, argued that the government’s priorities are misplaced: “Ireland currently spends approximately 0.25% of our GDP on Defence, around €1.3 billion a year. Trump, NATO and the EU are pushing for this to rise to 5%, or €25 billion. A compromise of 3% to 3.8% looks likely – €15 to €20 billion.
“We currently have 16,000 people in emergency accommodation, including almost 5,000 children. Surely a wise investment of any available billions in public housing would be a better long-term use of our resources?”
She added: “Ordinary people continue to struggle with the cost of living crisis, and more than 250,000 people are living in consistent poverty. Yet the government has refused to extend cost of living subsidies, while proposing to spend additional billions on weapons. There is always money for war.”
Speakers at the Mullingar event will include: Paddy Bresnihan, Associate Professor in the Department of Geography at Maynooth University; Niamh Ní Bhriain, researcher with the Transnational Institute in Amsterdam and author of works on the Triple Lock and neutrality and Fionn Wallace, former researcher in the Dáil and European Parliament.
The Mullingar Neutrality Roadshow meeting is at the Greville Arms Hotel on Wednesday August 27 at 8pm.