Ireland takes over the EU presidency as analysts ridicule its defence spending – Europe’s lowest at 0.2 percent of its GDP. But contributions to European security should not be measured by spending on arms alone: and Ireland is the case in point.
Saul Kenny
Ireland will take over the presidency of the Council of the EU on 1 July as the Old Continent sails on rough seas: from Russia’s continued aggression in Ukraine and a volatile US to soaring temperatures and economic instability.
The waters are no less choppy elsewhere, however. The world is sadly a more violent and unstable place than the last time Ireland was at the Council’s helm in 2013.
Attention has therefore turned to Ireland’s contributions to European security. Analysis has rained in from the New York Times and Le Monde – the result is far from flattering. Ireland has been described as Europe’s “weak spot” and “weak link”.
One commentator notes that “Ireland has virtually no way of independently defending itself”, with another writing that Ireland risks “becoming a French military protectorate”.
An analyst has claimed the Irish are a “bunch of freeloaders”, while “concerns” have even been raised over Ireland’s ability to host EU meetings.
Ireland is being urged to share the collective responsibility of making Europe safer, something the Irish government has acted on by investing in defence and pledging to use the presidency to advance “measures that contribute to the strengthening of European security and defence.”
But when European leaders visit Ireland later this year, they should be reminded of how Irish neutrality and support for international law are assets in Europe’s arsenal.
When things fall apart
Ireland’s presidency comes at a difficult moment for Europe. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has forced Europe to “return from a vacation from world history” Germany’s chancellor Friedrich Merz stated earlier this year.
The Trump administration’s now infamous National Security Strategy takes aim at EU policies, while threats to annex Greenland and tariffs have further eroded Trans-Atlantic trust. Europe is also the world’s fastest heating continent.
The world beyond Europe is equally turbulent. Violence is on the rise and our international system is crumbling; its rules and norms openly disregarded by the most powerful. It is no wonder that many find themselves reciting Irish poet W.B. Yeats: “Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold; mere anarchy is loosed upon the world”.
Europe has opted to rearm in response to the anarchy. Increases in defence spending have reached record highs as we witness the biggest military shift since the Cold War.
Nato countries (bar Spain), have committed to spending five percent of their GDP on defence – with the EU facilitating the build-up through an unprecedented €800bn programme.
Hence the focus on Ireland’s military capabilities, or rather lack thereof. We have been reminded that Ireland spends only 0.2 percent of its GDP on defence – the lowest in Europe – with the drone incursion during Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky’s visit to Dublin used as an example of how Ireland cannot defend itself.
In part to placate European allies, Ireland’s government has boosted military spending and signed deals with France and Italy on procurement. Investment is welcome, but the government should use Ireland’s time in the spotlight to underline the many ways the country does support European security, even if not with arms.
An outlier?
The Ebola outbreak is a stark reminder of why European security is not about defence spending only: development assistance helps save lives where outbreaks occur, and ensures diseases do not spread – including to Europe.
But European countries, and the US, are cutting development budgets in order to fund militarisation. And these cuts do not only make diseases more likely to spread; they have directly led to more instability, violence, and war.
Development assistance contributes to peace and global stability – by preventing conflict and supporting justice and governance – while arms races tend to lead to further polarisation and unintended military escalation.
While Ireland might be an “outlier” in defence spending, Irish Aid’s budget is now at a record high – making Ireland one of Europe’s top contributors to international development as a percent of GNI.
Gaza, Ukraine, Iran
Ireland has been more coherent in condemning violations of international law – in Ukraine, Gaza, and Iran – than its European partners and is militarily neutral.
This boosts Ireland’s credibility on the world stage, allowing it to bridge otherwise tense global divides and advance international cooperation – it co-facilitated the negotiations on the Sustainable Development Goals, for example.
Ireland also holds the record for the longest continuous participation in UN peacekeeping operations (since 1958). This support for international law and multilateral institutions helps strengthen global stability, and in turn, the security of Europeans.
The Irish government should use its six-month presidency to push back against claims that it is ‘freeloading’ and that it does not support European security.
It should stand up for the Emerald Isle’s long-standing support for international law and show the rest of Europe that a different foreign policy is possible, or not least that Ireland’s foreign policy complements that of its European partners.
In doing so, it must be brave to avoid falling into rank and instead continue to call out violations of international law, wherever they occur; deliver on the commitment to spend 0.7 percent of Ireland’s GNI on development by 2030; and build support for reforming the UN Charter, to reduce global tensions and ensure the organisation can once again play a role in international peace and security.
Amidst a return to “might makes right” geopolitics, Ireland has plenty to offer: its neutrality, ability to act as a bridge between the Global North and South, and championing of international law make the world safer. Europe should take note.
