The manifestly illegal and irresponsible war launched by the United States and Israel on Iran and the deeply worrying spread of instability in the Middle East represent another wake-up call for Ireland. With our EU presidency set to take place during a period of unprecedented turmoil, it is long past time for Ireland to get serious about how we engage with a world in which our interests are at stake and under threat.
Donald Trump’s America is no longer a reliable partner in support of international law or democratic values. Vladimir Putin’s aggression has brought war back to our continent, threatening the European Union itself. The philosophy that might is right is becoming the new normal. The wellbeing of humanity depends on restoring the primacy of diplomacy as well as on how we confront issues such as climate change, artificial intelligence and migration.
Ireland has a responsibility to itself to consider what more we can do to address these mounting international challenges. But first we must understand – better than we have done until now – that there is a real world in which such challenges exist and are mounting.
Ireland can – and must – be a player in shaping our future, rather than a well-intentioned observer. We may not be able to determine what the world will look like for our children, but we can make a serious contribution to shaping it. It would be foolish to expect others to decide what is best for us.
The Irish Government has responded in a balanced way, better than many, to the dramatic developments in the Middle East. However, the depth of public debate here on our changing world is often woefully inadequate. This applies to many politicians on all sides and to much public commentary.
The question of how we should work to guarantee our own national security is one obvious and urgent example. We are used to some politicians treating neutrality as if it were a sacred cow; while others, who know better, fail to address seriously the existential issue of Ireland’s security because they fear it will be a red rag to a bull. Between the cow and the bull, we – extraordinarily – have never had a serious public discussion about our own security. Our point is not to predetermine the outcome of such a debate. It’s merely to emphasise the urgent importance of having one.
Ireland’s future security does not depend solely on increasing our national defence expenditure, even though that is necessary and the broad political consensus on it is welcome. Nor does it depend on the so-called triple lock, the removal of which would be a small pragmatic step that would not affect in any way the comfort blanket of our military neutrality. It depends primarily on our willingness to work – pragmatically and seriously – with others, especially with our European partners, to combat the real threats we face: not only from military aggression but from cybercrime, disinformation and incursions into our waters. These are threats we cannot handle on our own. The Government’s recent steps to co-operate on security with France, the UK and other partners represents progress in the right direction.
Government and Opposition parties share the blame for failing over time to encourage and contribute to a deeper national debate about Ireland’s positioning in the world. We have largely been able to get away with it during the good times but, as comfortable assumptions about global developments are replaced by dangerous uncertainty, naivety and inaction are increasingly reprehensible. A recent instance was the infantile debate here about the EU-Mercosur trade deal in which politicians from all sides were falling over each other to criticise an agreement that is profoundly in Ireland’s economic and geopolitical interests. The Government knew that but didn’t dare to say so. The Opposition didn’t care provided they could put the Government on the back foot.
A serious national reflection about global developments would leave us better positioned to contribute significantly to wider international debate. Canadian prime minister Mark Carney has demonstrated one doesn’t have to come from a superpower to influence an intellectual and moral debate. Finland’s president, Alexander Stubb, is an example of an influential commentator on global developments from a small country. Taoiseach Micheál Martin has both the experience and the gravitas to be a similar voice for Ireland.
The obvious starting point for Ireland to get more serious about understanding and asserting our international interests is by deepening our engagement with, and contribution to, shaping the EU’s prosperity, security and influence. Of course the European Union is imperfect. We shouldn’t accept every proposal that emerges in Brussels; rather we should step up our real influence around the European table to advance our national values and interests.
However, it has never been more clear that Ireland’s future depends on Europe’s success. It is equally clear the world needs the European Union’s values more than previously. Through our EU membership we can make a limited but significant contribution to shaping the world for our children.
Ireland’s six-month EU presidency later this year offers us a particular challenge and opportunity. But the far greater challenge will be our ability to sustain a long-term commitment to identifying and advancing our interests in an increasingly complex world. It is long past time for playacting or prevaricating.
Bobby McDonagh is former ambassador to the European Union, the UK and Italy. Brigid Laffan is emeritus professor at the European University Institute (EUI) and chancellor at the University of Limerick.