MEP calls for open conversation on military neutrality during Leitrim visit

Ireland can’t hide behind military neutrality anymore and needs to step up its military preparedness, Maria Walsh, Fine Gael MEP for the North-West and Midlands, told the Leitrim Observer in an interview last week.

With war continuing in Ukraine and Washington appearing to be an increasingly unreliable partner in European security, the European Union is urging member states to boost their military spending—putting Ireland’s policy of military neutrality under renewed scrutiny.

“I’m probably more pro-defence than many of my colleagues,” said Walsh, who previously served as a reservist in the Defence Forces.

“We're the most western periphery of the European Union—subsea cables, social media platforms, tech, med tech, a smart, educated workforce, a relatively free judicial system, good independent media. That’s a democracy that’s actually under attack in many parts of the world.”

 “There’s no reason why we can’t be more prepared and still maintain our status on military neutrality,” she added.

Last month, the European Commission issued a report calling on all member states to increase their defence spending to 1.5% of GDP, with financial support from the Union.

The report highlighted the need to close capability gaps in Europe’s defence industry, deepen the EU defence market through new technologies, and enhance readiness for worst-case scenarios.

Ireland currently has the lowest military spending of any EU country, allocating only 0.24% (€1.29 billion) of its national GDP to defence, according to a study by the International Institute for Strategic Studies.

The Irish Defence Forces are also 2,000 members short of the 9,500 personnel required to meet operational needs, according to government figures released this year.

The government recently announced the procurement of new radar technology and Ireland’s entry into the Common Information Sharing Environment (CISE), a group of European nations sharing intelligence on potential threats across the continent.

This move has sparked debate around the triple-lock mechanism that protects Ireland’s military neutrality. Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald has expressed concern, saying she was “deeply concerned” and called on the government to clarify the nature of Ireland’s involvement with CISE.

There needs to be a clear and informed conversation about defence in Ireland, according to Walsh. “We think that having the conversation is pigeonholing us into a corner—watering down military neutrality when we talk about defence. That couldn’t be further from the truth,” she said.

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