Has President Higgins overstepped the mark?

Don't even get the neutrality thing,what does it matter?

Doubt we're going to attack anyone,and if there is a war is these parts our neutrality won't count for shoite.

I don't understand the big NATO debate, sure don't Irish forces already work with NATO missions, and have been for years.

We clearly have deals with other countries regarding defences etc. What's the big deal with neutrality? We allow other countries to use our facilities etc. We are not neutral and our constitution doesn't say we are.

But the president did overstep I believe.

The big deal is we get to pretend we are better than all those other countries while relying on them for help.when needed.

It's hypocrisy, plain and simple

KFOR is a NATO mission.

Irelands commitment to KFOR was only due to the UNSC resolution on peacekeeping as part of KFOR back in 1999.

A NATO mission in which a plurality of participants are not NATO members or NATO affiliated - the UN backing is a far bigger decider for the non-NATO members such as Ireland.

Ireland doesnt work 'for' or 'with' NATO. Military deployments are based on decisions of the United Nations.

You tried to equate Ireland participation in KFOR as us being basically members of NATO, or that there is no big deal in the difference between status quo and full NATO membership. Disingenuous nonsense.

If Ireland work on, or with, or for any NATO missions or in close proximity beside or whatever with any NATO missions, what's the big deal. We do it.

' NATO mission in which a plurality of participants are not NATO members or NATO affiliated - the UN backing is a far bigger decider for the non-NATO members such as Ireland.'

and what does this mean? Because of a unsc resolution it's ok for us to work on NATO missions? That's disingenuous!

You tried to imply that we already work with NATO in the same way as if we were actual members of the alliance - that assertion was totally false.

There was no alliance obliging us to intervene in the balkans, or obliging us to participate in KFOR. We did so of our own volition after the UNSC resolution for peacekeeping.

The difference between 13 irish soldiers in KFOR and Ireland being a member of NATO is night and day. There is no way you can equate the 2 situations as "whats the big deal with Ireland joining NATO, shur Ireland has been working with NATO for years".

Being a member of NATO is a million miles away from volunteering for KFOR

Can you explain how participating in a UNSC sanctioned peacekeeping mission in Kosovo hinders our neutrality?

It doesn't. But that just shows how we can work with/in/on NATO missions pretending we don't.....

We don't have neutrality, given that we allow other forces to use our country in their conflicts.

Neutrality isn't a constitutional thing anyway, it doesn't really exist. Ireland just doesn't get involved officially when they don't feel like it.

Cheeky brat.

She's a Dame due to her charity work apparently.

The wife has been seen “in high spirits” at various events over the past while.

Laughing and Falling around the place in front of the world’s media during the Biden visit too. Not good.

I do not see why a person associating herself with the British Empire should be given a role in independent Ireland.

Being in Britain is not a problem, but if you associated yourself with the order of slavery or the order of the Third Reich then you would not be acceptable so why should someone voluntarily associating themselves with the British Empire than have that association highlighted?

As fro Higgins, what does postitive neutrality mean? If the guy next door is beating his wife and she calls out, do you shout over the fence that you are positively neutral and that you will invite them both in for a nice cup of tea?

The lefties had no problem with a biased convention before the abortion referendum which mainly heard from people promoting abortion, but they are all of a sudden concerned with balance in this one.

Just read his "apology". It's a typical non-apology apology. "He apologises for any offence which he may have inadvertently caused to Professor Richardson by what was a throwaway remark,"

So the standard I'm sorry of you were stupid enough to take offence at my remarks about you.

Similar to the non-apology apology issued about Sabina's behaviour a few months ago.

He needs to go now. Enough is enough.

I lost all respect for him when he went totally AWOL during the Covid emergency. Not a peep out of him then

If a country wants to honour someone for the good work they have done, why would you put that person down?

On what grounds should he go?

Can you point to the rule he has broken?

The question is not what century I am from. She is the person describing herself as a Dame of the British Empire and you are the person supporting her doing that.

Her CV is Far more impressive than the champagne socialist who cowardly attacked her and then rightly had to apologise

If you are 100% against NATO’ s existance or/and Ireland joining it will you then please suggest what Ireland should to if all communications cables / satellite signals and all gas/ oil pipelines were severed by Russia or another ‘enemy state’. Would you suggest that we go it alone or for, an alliance with friendly nations. Please add to the above the continuation of serious cyber attacks - which we have already got a little tast e of what that is like

"Ireland" would and could do **** all about the communications cables - because they are all owned by multinational companies rather than the state, so it will be their problem to fix them. Plus, the whole of europe and the UK relies on those cables, so they won't be waiting around to have them repaired by the aul Dept. of P+T. They will make their own arrangements with the comms multinationals to fix them.

So he hasnt broken any rules then?

You just want him to go because he said something you disagree with, gotcha

Go on, tell us what you think Ireland should do it this unlikely circumstances. Invade Russia or invade this other enemy state that nobody can name?

Why haven't the Swiss seen the light yet?

I think you watch too many movies how long did it take to find Osama bin laden and actually organise a team to kill him ?. and the repercussions of doing that would be to most likely bring in a much harder line leader.

it would definitely be a case of careful what you wish for.