Ireland’s neutrality has a security problem — and Europe is starting to notice

Ireland’s low defence spending and reliance on Britain for security have exposed tensions at the heart of its military neutrality

European Commission high representative and vice president Kaja Kallas (R) and defence and foreign affairs minister Helen McEntee during a meeting of EU defence ministers in Wicklow to discuss bolstering Ukraine’s air defences amid growing worries over Russia’s campaign to destabilise Kyiv’s European backers. Picture: Paul Faith/AFP

Being embarrassed by international media at a high-profile event during Ireland’s EU presidency is not what the Government wanted.

Having the EU’s foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas, trying to bat off the topic as best she could made the embarrassment sting all the more.