“The Irish deserve that,” he said of proper investment in defence and security. “Irish people deserve to have a good and proud Defence Forces; not too big, but reflecting the level of your society. You are part of the Europe Union and the European Union it is not neutral. It has already taken a very strong stand to support Ukraine.”
The LE Róisín and LE Niamh last week became the latest two vessels to be mothballed because the Naval Service does not have enough personnel to crew them, leaving just four ships available to carry out patrols. Tánaiste and Minister for Defence Micheál Martin said the move would not impact the capability of the Naval Service, though military sources strongly disagree with that appraisal.
Asked what Ireland’s defence vulnerabilities were and how they should be addressed, Lieut Gen Pulkkinen said: “Provide your Defence Forces with sustainable and reasonable long-term funding, that’s one of the vulnerabilities you have inside your military.”
All adult males in Finland have to do military service.
When did we transfer Irelands decisions on defence policies over to pensioners in Finland? It’s the Irish electorate who will decide these issues not random pensioners who Irish Times phone up.
A big nuance is what neutrality actually means in Ireland. On what is termed 'neutrality', IRE often support a side and can/should debate those nuances as needed internally, Russian invaded a sovereign country, our methods of aid should be open to review/debate if more sanctions
what a ghoul
You could say it’s Finnished
The amount of shite being spouted about neutrality online (Ireland isn't neutral btw) by people who live in fantasy land... if it could be bottled and sprayed, it would fertilise all the farmland in the country for the next ten years.
Swiss population 8m: Defence Budget is €5,000m. Finland population 5.4m Defence Budget is €6,000m. Ireland population 5m: Defence Budget €1,100m. Neutrality is expensive, Ireland isn’t neutral.
Irish neutrality has kept the country safe from attack since world war because Ireland are not interfering in others quarrels over oil and trade. Ireland are a tiny fish in large pond and they need to stay neutral always. No one will bother us exception those living here 😆
Irish neutrality should be part of the New Ireland debates and we need proper defence forces. cjhumanrights Bentonra GerryAdamsSF MichealMartinTD cooper_m
This is nothing to do with neutrality isn't over until the Irish People vote to end it.
The propaganda and bullshit still flows.
He should mind his own business.
Irish neutrality is the only thing that will save Ireland , if we get dragged into a war we're finished.
Irish neutrality is dogma. People have an emotional attachment to it because it has been irresponsibly incorporated into the Irish sense of identity. The Finns saw neutrality as a policy tool & have changed the policy to suit the circumstances. Which is the sensible thing to do