Sir, – In the current debate on Irish neutrality it might be of interest to readers to quote from history. In Article 6 of the Anglo-Irish Treaty of 1921, the Free State was prohibited from establishing a navy until a conference between representatives of the Irish and British governments agreed on the form of such a force.
In preparation for the conference in 1927, a Capt Johnson, on the orders of Comdt Dan Bryan, drew up a review of Ireland’s dependence on the sea and gave an ambitious outline for a naval force.
In his introduction to this paper, he states: “It may be contended that England, in protecting herself, would, of sheer necessity protect us, but it would hardly be in keeping with the aspirations of the nation to have to admit complete dependence on the Imperial Navy for defence and existence without lending a hand either materially or by contribution.” – Yours, etc,
DAIRE BRUNICARDI,
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Fermoy,
Co Cork.
Sir, – With the publication of the report by the Commission on the Defence Forces due out shortly, it’s already clear from informed press articles that the capabilities of the Air Corps to monitor and patrol our air space are critically lacking. This will not come as news to that organisation.
Much has already been written about the lack of primary radar cover off the west coast which could detect aircraft entering Irish airspace there. Currently, air traffic control (ATC) secondary surveillance radar (SSR) monitors all civilian air traffic over and beyond our island by electronic interaction with an aircraft’s transponder system, which must be switched on at all times.
Not so, reportedly, with Russian military aircraft, which sometimes switched off their transponder systems and entered Irish airspace over the years with impunity.
This is of serious concern to the Irish Aviation Authority, as the threat of a mid-air collision is ever present in these circumstances. The provision of primary radar cover, it must be added, is not a standalone solution to the problem. The Air Corps will have to acquire jet aircraft capable of timely interception and identification of intruder aircraft and warning the civil ATC authorities.
It does not currently have this capability, although it is hard to believe that they had this jet capability in the 1960s and 1970s, with the De Havilland Vampire jets. It would seem that years of political neglect of our Defence Forces are coming home to roost. – Yours, etc,
Comdt FRANK RUSSELL,
(Retired),
Blanchardstown,
Dublin 15.
Sir, – Pat Leahy declares with conviction but without evidence that, "We like the security of Nato's protection" ("Putin's new world challenges the cakeism of Irish neutrality", Opinion & Analysis, January 29th). Protection from whom? – Yours, etc,
ROBERT N FLYNN,
Cours de Medoc,
Bordeaux, France.
Sir, – Your columnist Pat Leahy states there is “public attachment to the idea of neutrality”. I wonder.
Perhaps The Irish Times would consider commissioning a poll on this topic. I firmly believe in our membership of the EU and that we need to abandon our sham neutrality and ally with our European partners. – Yours, etc,
FERGUS DALY,
Cobh,
Co Cork.