Colin Gannon is an Irish journalist and researcher who has written for the Baffler, Tribune, the Guardian, and the Verso Books blog, among other outlets.
Ireland’s conservative parties are weaker than ever, but the forces of the Irish left haven’t been able to cohere around an alternative. A campaign for Irish unity based on radical change in both parts of Ireland could help break the logjam.
Ireland’s taoiseach, Micheál Martin, will be paying homage to Donald Trump on St Patrick’s Day. Irish public opinion is strongly opposed to the US war on Iran and the Gaza genocide, but Martin and his allies are anxious to stay on Trump’s good side.
EU officials have moved to dramatically increase European arms spending and beef up the EU’s military capacities. This turn is coming at the expense of action to address the climate crisis or the defense of social programs.
Ireland has an image as Europe’s most pro-Palestinian country, but its government hasn’t been representing strong popular solidarity with the people of Gaza. They can change that by supporting South Africa’s International Court of Justice case against Israel.
Ireland’s neutrality policy has a complex history, but it has blocked Irish participation in disastrous wars and enabled some positive interventions in world affairs. We should resist pressure to scrap neutrality, whether or not it means formally joining NATO.
A dysfunctional housing system is putting intense strain on Ireland’s social fabric as rents spiral out of control. The current malaise has deep roots in the structure of Irish capitalism, and radical reform is the only way to turn things around.
A debate on Ireland’s political future if partition comes to an end is already up and running. Left-wing forces need to put forward their own agenda instead of allowing establishment liberals to dominate the conversation about Irish unity.
Deprived of their basic human rights, asylum seekers in Ireland are taking it upon themselves to agitate for change. The system of Direct Provision needs to be abolished and replaced with a radically different policy toward refugees.