Neutral, Neutered or Pacifist? Can Ireland’s Model of Neutrality Remain Aligned With its Foreign Policy Ambitions Amidst the Re-Emergence of Conflict in Europe.

Abstract

The subject of neutrality has seen a resurgence, both in Ireland and in a wider European context owing to Russia’s 24^th of February 2022 invasion of Ukraine, its second violation of Ukrainian sovereignty after its 2014 annexation of Crimea. With the Taoiseach having stated that “neutrality is a policy issue that can change at any time” (Leahy & Gallagher, 2022) and stating in Washington that “we are not politically neutral, we’re not morally neutral and as the world changes, our position has to evolve with that change” (Martin, 2022), debate has emerged again on Ireland’s policy of neutrality. 

Seeking to answer whether Ireland’s model of neutrality can remain aligned with its foreign policy ambitions, this paper analyses proponent and opponent views on neutrality and explores a gap in the literature on the concept of pacifism and Irish Neutrality, where questions are being asked nationally, and internationally, of the credibility of Irish Neutrality amidst the re-emergence of war in Europe.

This paper finds that Ireland’s policy of military neutrality does not align with accepted concepts of neutrality reflected in literature on the topic. The paper finds Irish Neutrality is better described as military non-alignment which is labelled “neutrality”.  Lacking a national security strategy to direct how Ireland will protect her interests, such a strategy could include non-alignment, however, permanent neutrality, armed or unarmed, would not align with Ireland’s foreign policy ambitions.