EU’s values not as clear as they should be

Sir, - When Bobby McDonagh and Brigid Laffan declare “the world needs the European Union’s values”, exactly what values are they referring to (“Ireland needs to grow up and get serious about its interests,” Opinion, March 18th)?

The EU has failed to apply any sanctions against Israel during the two-plus years of genocide inflicted on the people of Gaza, which is in stark contrast to its stance on Ukraine. Worse still, a number of its member states continue to actively sell weapons to Israel to enable continuation of the genocide.

By all means, let’s have a national conversation about security and the future role of our defence forces. Better still, after this debate, let’s give the Irish people the opportunity to vote in a referendum on the issue of neutrality. This would be the embodiment of the democratic values the writers refer to.

But we should be clear that for as long as the EU fails to act against the slaughter in Gaza, “EU values” amount to nothing more than selective outrage and political hypocrisy of the highest order. - Yours, etc,