Sir, – In a recent interview, Dutch MEP Bart Groothius, advocating EU sanctions on Aughinish Alumina’s exports to Russia, stated: “I’m wondering what Irish neutrality actually means.”
I’m old enough to remember a similar question raised in the 1960s, when the Irish government was grant-aiding the French Potez Aerospace project to develop an aircraft manufacturing facility (which, alas, failed), adjacent to what is now Casement Aerodrome, Baldonnel Co Dublin.
In the Dáil, Dr Noel Brown queried if a conflict might arise with our strict neutrality policy should Potez sell aircraft to a Nato country.
Former taoiseach Jack Lynch was minister for industry and commerce at the time, and with a subdued touch of Corkonian wit, he addressed Brown’s query by suggesting that for every plane made for Nato, he would ask Potez if they would also make one for the Warsaw Pact.
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An Irish solution to an Irish problem. – Yours, etc,
MICHEÁL NELSON,
Stillorgan,
Co Dublin.
