Irish defense strategy faces major changes as global threats increase
Small island nation needs to upgrade its defense capabilities due to new global challenges. Recent events near Irish shores made government think about increasing military spending and changing defense policies
About three years ago Russian warships showed up near Irelandʼs coast doing strange exercises right above important under-sea data cables (which wasnt a coincidence at all)
The incident showed how weak Irelands defense really is: with just 6 small-sized ships and no real air-force to speak of‚ the country cant protect its own waters. Its quite strange for a well-off nation thats so important for EU data infrastructure
The countryʼs military status comes from its long-standing position — after getting free from Britain in the early 1920s Ireland chose to stay neutral during world-war-2. This choice later turned into a wider non-military stance even though Irish leaders tried to make a defense deal with USA in the late 40s
Modern-day defense rules in Ireland use a three-step system for sending troops anywhere:
- Getting UN approval
- Government ok
- Parliament vote
Right now (with elections coming up in just a few days) theres talk about changing these rules; they dont want Russia or China blocking Irish troop movements through UN votes
The current defense budget is way too small — only about half-percent of the countrys income‚ but plans are to make it bigger. The next government might push for more money to buy fighter jets and double the navy size; this would help protect important stuff like wind-farms and under-sea cables from bad actors
Looking forward its clear that Ireland needs to spend more on defense — maybe even team-up with UK on some projects (like building new ships in Belfast). The country has changed a lot: its now more European than ever and home to many people from eastern EU countries that worry about Russian moves
