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Anti-Imperialism

Richard Boyd Barrett Challenges Government on Neutrality and Triple Lock in Dáil

Presence of NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte at meetings of European leaders in Dublin confirms militarisation agenda. Government fund vast increases in military spending but workers have to strike for pay rise to protect incomes. Protest Thur. 5pm

Richard Boyd Barrett Challenges Government on Neutrality and Triple Lock in Dáil
Image of a still from the anti-militarism projection on the face of the Dublin Convention Centre 10 November reading "We refused to fight for empire before. We will do it again. Richard Boyd Barrett, in centre. Foreground, (l to r) Micheál Martin, Nato's Mark Rutte, EU Commission's Ursula von der Leyen.

At Leaders Questions in the Dáil today, Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked Minister Jack Chambers (standing in for the Taoiseach) why workers have to strike just to get a pay increase to protect their incomes against inflation while the Irish government and the EU aim to massively increase military spending.

Deputy Boyd Barrett said

“The EU’s war agenda will be central to the meetings of European and EU political leaders in Dublin on Thursday. News that NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte will be at the meetings will remove any remaining doubts anyone might have about the nature of the meetings of European leaders in Dublin in the coming days.

“The EU’s 2025 Rearm Europe report called for a doubling of the EU’s military spending to €800 billion by 2030, a target the EU is already rapidly moving towards fulfilling. This week’s gathering of European leaders is centred on accelerating these EU militarisation plans.

“This is the dangerous agenda that the EU and the Irish government is trying to condition the public to accept. It is directly connected to the continuing undermining of our neutrality and it is no coincidence that the legislation to end the Triple Lock is being pushed through at the same time as this meeting of Europe’s political leaders.

“The Irish Government has also said it will rapidly increase spending on weapons and military equipment to €1.7 billion by 2030. At Leaders' Questions in the Dáil today, I asked why the Irish Government and the EU can always seem to find the money for vast increases in military spending but workers have to strike for the pay rise they need to protect their incomes.

“Talk of EU values rings hollow when the EU is deeply complicit in the horrific genocide against the people of Gaza and EU countries continue to provide Israel with vast economic and military support and political and legal impunity.

“We are urging everyone who is opposed to militarisation and war, who cares about our protecting our neutrality, and is horrified by the EU’s complicity in Israel’s genocide in Gaza to join the protest at the Spire at 5pm on Thursday and march towards the Convention Centre and the National Gallery where the political leaders will gather.”