The results of the @IpsosIreland @IrishTimes poll on neutrality will seem baffling to many outside Ireland. A short thread. 
The headline figure is that 66% of Iriah people support Ireland’s policy of military neutrality.
Correspondingly, 55% worry that Ireland could be dragged into a war, so it is important to stay neutral on Russian aggression against Ukraine.
Set against these figures, however, 63% of people polled say they are in favour of Ireland joining NATO. How can the same poll suggest more or less the same percentage of the population in favour of both military neutrality AND joining NATO?
An overwhelming 78% of those polled say they are in favour of Ireland joining a EU Common Defence Union. How does this square with the large commitment to military neutrality?
It is almost like people have no idea what these institutions and structures actually imply. @PatLeahyIT does not comment on the contradictions which the poll reveal.
To demonstrate the point, 78% believe Ireland should join a Common European Defence Fund. Yet 55% say that they don’t want Ireland to play a greater military role to defend the EU.
In short, there is a LOT of work to be done to explain to people what these commitments might actually mean, while also providing broader context on evolving European and international security issues.
• • •
Missing some Tweet in this thread? You can try to
force a refresh
