Irish Examiner view: Amid grave security threats, Ireland must contemplate the unthinkable

Taoiseach Micheál Martin says Ireland is 'blissfully unaware' of the 'existential fear' in many European countries caused by threat from Russia

Taoisech Micheál Martin spoke with Irish Examiner Political Editor Elaine Loughlin at Government Buildings. Her interview is published in the 'Irish Examiner' newspaper and online today, Saturday. Picture: Gareth Chaney

Of all the taoisigh since the Second World War — there have been 15 — only two have faced penetrating and continuous world scrutiny of our policies on defence, and our longstanding commitment to the concept of neutrality.

One of those was Éamon de Valera, whose guidance and leadership through the tumultuous years of the conflict against Adolf Hitler, have often been misunderstood, sometimes wilfully, by overseas critics.