Ireland should not join Nato or chance stance on neutrality, says Tánaiste

Tánaiste Simon Harris said he is 'an absolute supporter' of Irish military neutrality but that conversations around defence spending cannot be 'boiled down' to a discussion on ending it. Picture: Brian Lawless/PA

Ireland should not join Nato or any EU army or change its stance on neutrality, the Tánaiste has said.

Simon Harris said that while the country's foreign arrangements should not change, a target to get to €1.5bn a year in military spending must "be the floor" as "aggressive" procurement of military equipment and spending on recruitment and retention becomes the norm.

In an exclusive interview with the Irish Examiner in South Africa, Mr Harris said he has asked his officials to speed up the tendering process for a sonar system and that a primary radar system would come to tender in the coming weeks.

However, asked if he believes that reform to Ireland's triple lock use of peacekeepers should also lead to an end to military non-alignment and neutrality, he said: "No. I sometimes think those questions that are very easily answered with the word 'no', they shut down broader debate around defence and security. 

"But I'm crystal clear that I'm the Tánaiste and minister for defence in a country that is militarily unaligned and militarily neutral in terms of not joining Nato and not changing our position on neutrality.

"But I'm also really clear that we have to invest more in defence and security. 

"We can't think that they're conversations for Nato or for some other country. 

"We actually have to be ready to participate in these conversations."

Mr Harris said that he is "an absolute supporter" of Irish military neutrality and that it "must remain" but that conversations around Irish defence spending cannot be "boiled down" to a discussion on ending neutrality.

I do think sometimes every conversation in Ireland around defence, people try to boil it down to military neutrality. There's actually a number of countries around the world that are militarily neutral, and that's respected, but they also invest property of defence, and that's my focus.

Mr Harris said the programme for government commitment to reach the second level of ambition outlined by the Commission on the Defence Forces will be met by 2028, but that this must become "the floor" and that level of ambition three should be reached "in time". 

This is the most ambitious level of proposed changes and upgrades outlined in the report and would signify a significant investment in modernising military capabilities with the most advanced technology and operational readiness, including potential for increased international engagement and a wider range of response capabilities.

The Tánaiste said that he believes this spending would allow Ireland "play a really important part in terms of our own defence, security, and also making sure that we're we're fulfilling the obligations that I believe we have to the wider European community".