Prejudice and Policy in Ireland

Noted cultural critic of Irish life, Professor John Wilson Foster, describes the ‘Story’ of victimhood, exceptionality and entitlement which underpins Irish political life. This supports a lack of gratitude or even recognition of the importance of the UK or NATO in the defence of Ireland. It also underpins Ireland’s strong antagonism to Israel which builds on earlier incidents of antisemitism.

Early in January, before his ill-judged remarks at the annual Holocaust Memorial Day in Dublin introduced Gaza into the day’s mourning, the President of the Irish Republic welcomed young Irish scientists to an exhibition in Dublin by subjecting them to his political grievances. Michael Higgins referred to “the recent appalling comments from NATO calling for ever more armaments expenditure to be achieved” and rounded on NATO chief, Mark Rutte.

That the officially neutral Republic is not a member of NATO may give Higgins theoretical licence to snipe from the sidelines, but in the absence of any mention of the actual or potential threat to Europe posed by Russia, China, Iran, or of Hamas and assorted jihadists, this was hypocritical partisanship. For Ireland is utterly dependent on others for its defence.

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