I wish to raise neutrality in the European context. Incredibly, there was an article published in The Times in the last few weeks that reported an allegation made by British intelligence that Wexford fishermen have been approached by the Russian army to pull cable-cutting tools behind their trawlers to cut Irish cables. It is an incredible allegation that besmirches and blackens the names of those fishermen. It basically states those fishermen in Kilmore Quay are in some way traitors and acting against the national interests of this country for money. I have spoken to our councillor there, Jim Codd, who knows these fishermen well and has been working with them through the times where they have their quotas cut and the Government has introduced laws that have reduced their ability to earn a living for their families. It is absolutely wrong that British intelligence would make these accusations and I would like the Government to investigate those allegations. At the heart of this is black propaganda designed to create fear about Ireland's defence and to push Ireland into a situation where it is seeking to join a European army and a military alliance, which is obviously against the interests of this country, against neutrality and against our good name as peacekeepers in the international community. I ask the Minister of State to address this issue and to make sure he defends the name of Irish fisherman and stands up against British intelligence.

Sentiment score: 0.32

Will the Minister of State raise the issue of the shocking allegations being made by British intelligence against fishermen in this country about the cutting of cables off the coast of Ireland? Will he demand the British ambassador and Keir Starmer's Government provide evidence and information about these allegations, desist from making them and withdraw them? Will he also call out the objective behind these allegations? It is in some way to push Ireland into a European defence union, a European army or NATO, three options which are extreme threats to our sovereignty and independence. These are not just on an individual basis a besmirching of the names of these fishermen but, on a national basis, they are ignorant allegations that should be stopped straight away.

Sentiment score: -0.18