Sir, – People Before Profit wants to defend Ireland’s neutrality by withdrawing from EU military co-operation and from Nato’s Partnership for Peace (News, November 14th).
How exactly do they propose to defend the State from hybrid warfare, cyber attacks, and possible interference with the various energy interconnections? Neutrality offers little by way of protection in the modern world, as other formerly neutral European states have concluded.
Currently, there are a number of Russian naval vessels operating off the south coast of Ireland which necessitated in the deployment of Air Corps maritime patrol aircraft and Naval Service vessels to monitor the situation. Other European countries have also deployed military assets to observe the situation. The area where they are operating happens to contain various data cables linking Ireland and Europe to the United States.
By investing in our Defence Forces to equip them adequately, by working with our European partners through various agreements, we can ensure that the State is adequately protected.
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Richard Boyd Barrett’s call to withdraw from EU military co-operation and from Nato’s Partnership for Peace offers little by way of protection for the State. In fact, it would only benefit potential enemies and states with nefarious intent toward Ireland. – Yours, etc,
CONOR HOGARTY,
Blackrock,
Co Dublin.