International Developments: Statements
Dail Éireann — 2026-01-21
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John Lahart (FF), Dublin South-West

Never before have we more needed adults in the room than at this time in our history, and in what the Taoiseach has described as uncharted territory. We also need to not lose sight during this debate, which I welcome, that the greatest threat to the Union we are part of is Russia. Military neutrality has been raised here and I am a stout defender at every opportunity I get internationally as chair of the foreign affairs and trade committee, or here at home talking to anybody prepared to listen in any forum. I support military neutrality, but never before has it become more obvious to me that Ireland needs to be in a position to protect its neutrality, to defend itself, and particularly to offer itself as a country that is in a position to protect the quite considerable business assets that other countries invest here. We will have investment in perpetuity if we can show the rest of the world that we are prepared to invest in our security and in protecting our neutral status. We must be prepared to defend and protect our neutrality. That means adult conversations. There are structures in place in other countries such as the UK. They may call it the privy council, where a prime minister can call in the leaders of the opposition parties to show them latest intelligence they are privy to have from the highest reliable sources in the country. It is what they have been told and is what is informing their policy. If the opposition parties were sitting in that chair, it is what they would be informed of too. This is confidential information. Every country has confidential information it has to protect, and it can trust in that kind of source and structure to ensure people will not abuse that kind of information.
Regarding our trade with the USA, we are in a delicate situation. Some $1 billion worth of trade comes across the Atlantic every six hours into the European Union. Much of that travels through our country through data and services. The need to pivot and not be completely reliant on the US is something the previous speaker adverted to in the case of Canada.
We do not want to have all our eggs in the US basket either but we have a unique relationship with the United States of America. There are 900 US companies based here, with a number of very significant companies headquartered here. Some 300,000 people are employed by Irish companies in America. More than 200,000 people are employed by American companies here. Little Ireland is the fifth largest foreign direct investor in the USA. It is a relationship we have to cultivate and ensure is maintained, while at the same time standing shoulder to shoulder with our European Union partners. To repeat what I said at the beginning, Ireland needs mature leadership now more than ever, calm engagement and dialogue, no drama, and none of the soundbites that are easy to throw from the Opposition benches. It needs mature, considered leadership.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/dail/2026-01-21/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-08-31T01:00:51+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-01-21