THE government’s ‘head-in-the-sand’ approach to dealing with the Defence Forces is a threat to Ireland’s neutrality, a European election candidate has warned.
Labour candidate for Ireland South, Niamh Hourigan, has accused the government of weakening Ireland’s Defence Forces through repeated inaction on declining numbers, infrastructural requirements and personnel support.
She cited figures showing a net loss of 1,000 members in the term of this government alone. That leaves Ireland’s Defence Forces at its lowest membership in decades, at only 7,500 members.
‘The head-in-the-sand approach from government simply cannot be allowed to continue,’ Ms Hourigan said.
‘Defence Force members I speak to about these issues repeatedly flag the vulnerabilities in our waters, our skies, and our cybersecurity, and this all comes back to the Government not taking these problems seriously,’ she added.
‘It’s time for a radical change in our defence and security policy and for our Defence Force members to get the support they have long been calling for.
‘Protecting Irish neutrality is one of my core campaign issues and I believe that begins with investment in a credible neutrality,’ she said.
‘We haven’t had a dedicated Minister for Defence for a decade. Because of the lack of investment in the Defence Forces and the lack of representation at the Cabinet table, we have a huge security issue.’
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