Aontú leader Peadar Tóibín TD has said that it is his intention to introduce a Dáil Bill seeking to trigger a referendum on Irish neutrality.
Speaking today, Deputy Tóibín said: “President Higgins this week did overstep the mark, and I believe presidents need to respect the long standing tradition of political neutrality – but nonetheless he was correct in what he said. The government, in particular Fine Gael, are moving Ireland towards NATO membership and are seeking to erode Irish neutrality”.
Deputy Tóibín continued: “Opinion polls have consistently shown that the people of this country resoundingly favour neutrality. Ireland has a reputation globally for good negotiation skills, peace-building, international aid, hospitality and charity towards our neighbours. There is huge work to be done on these fronts, and our defence forces are in dire need of support”.
“We cannot be blindly led into a situation where Irish men and women are sent into battle in international wars. Unfortunately recent developments prove that the government, or indeed future governments, cannot be trusted with neutrality, and we need to ensure that it is solidified within the constitution by way of referendum, to show the strength of the majority to the powers that be and stall them in their tracks”, concluded Tóibín.
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