Paul Hosford: Cluster bomb use could explode the global convention hosted by Ireland

Would the Irish Government break a convention signed in its own capital to allow the US to send banned munitions to an active war zone?

US President Joe Biden speaks at an event with G7 leaders and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

The outbreak of war in Ukraine has tested Ireland's ability to dance on the head of a pin with regards to its own neutrality.

Members of the government insist that Ireland is not neutral in the conflict and cite our support for Ukraine as ongoing and unwavering. While the morality of our stance has been easy to identify, Ireland's military neutrality offers a harder square to circle.

Ireland's initial contribution to the effort included millions of euro in non-lethal assistance, which members of government were keen to stress did not violate Ireland's triple-lock neutrality system.

Since then, there has been a frequent and at times bitter argument about Ireland's place in the conflict, Europe, and the world. This debate has been given a new dimension this week with the announcement that America has begun sending cluster munitions to Kyiv.

US President Joe Biden has defended the so-called difficult decision to dispatch the weapons to Ukraine to help in battling against the Russian invasion. The munitions were banned by a 2008 global convention of which Ireland was not only the lead signatory but the host of the adoption. The deal was seen as a massive coup for Irish diplomacy and particularly for the then Foreign Affairs Minister Dermot Ahern. His successor in that role, Micheál Martin, this week recalled convincing people to sign up to the accord.

“It was an outstanding diplomatic achievement by Ireland to have so many countries, over 120, I think signed eventually,” he said.

“I remember working with Gordon Brown at the time to get the UK’s agreement to sign up to the banning of cluster munitions and I recall very well meeting many civilians from countries all over, Asia in particular: amputees, people with severe injuries as a result of cluster munitions that are left in the aftermath of battle, the aftermath of war, in children’s playgrounds and so on."

Cluster bombs open in mid-air and scatter hundreds of "bomblets" over a wide area, causing severe injury and death long after conflicts are over.

Criticism

The US, Russia and China were all opposed to an international ban and have not signed up to the new treaty. Mr Biden said “the Ukrainians are running out of ammunition” and the cluster bombs will provide a temporary fix to help stop Russian tanks, but there was swift criticism from a number of corners about the decision.

A cluster bomb detonated by bomb experts after it was found in the southern Lebanese village of Sultaniyeh. Dropped from warplanes or fired from artillery guns, they explode in mid-air, randomly scattering bomblets and are among the weapons which pose the gravest dangers to civilians.

Here in Ireland, the decision raised questions about the use of Shannon Airport as a transit for the US deliveries. The airport's use since the 2003 Iraq War has been contentious in and of itself, but the continued use of Shannon by US troops since that war ended has largely been taken for granted. The carriage of any weaponry requires an exemption under the Air Navigation (Carriage of Munitions of War, Weapons, and Dangerous Goods) Orders, with 120 granted up to the end of May.

But the question was posed: Would the Government break a convention signed in its own capital to allow the US to send banned munitions to an active war zone?

Edward Horgan of the Peace and Neutrality Alliance said: “There is a very real possibility that these illegal cluster bombs will be transferred through Shannon Airport on their way to Ukraine".

Mr Horgan said US military planes have not been searched in many instances. Indeed, last year the Irish Examiner revealed that the Department of Transport had admitted it did not check whether a Ukrainian plane that landed in Shannon was carrying heavy artillery in spite of pictures of weapons being loaded in Australia.

But Taoiseach Leo Varadkar was out early strongly criticising the US move.

"I think it's the wrong decision. The United States is an ally of ours and of course we support Ukraine in its battle to defend its country and defend its freedom in democracy. Both Russia and Ukraine are using cluster bombs. I think that's wrong," Mr Varadkar said.

The Taoiseach pointed out that cluster bombs can stay around long after they have first been fired and can cause injury to civilians many years later.

Green Party leader Eamon Ryan was as strong on the issue, saying that the Government is “opposed” to the use of cluster bombs, adding that there would be “huge consequences” for their use.

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Pressed on whether Ireland would use the mechanisms available to it to stop flights coming through carrying the weapons, he was unequivocal.

“Yes is my answer, because clearly in my mind, talking to the Taoiseach and Tánaiste about this, we’re all of a similar view. We’ve taken a strong position on the use of cluster munitions and we retain our position.”

Mr Martin said on Thursday that the position of Ireland hadn't changed, but is confident the issue won't occur.

He said the possibility that they might be transported through Shannon “doesn’t arise”.

While the Government has been strong on the matter thus far, neutrality campaigners say they want to see what will happen in the coming weeks and months as dozens more US flights land at Shannon.