An Irish arms lobbying group urged clients to participate in the government’s controversial neutrality forum – while one of its co-founders moderated a discussion with her lobbying role undisclosed in event literature.
In June 2023 government ran the forum instead of a citizens’ assembly on neutrality as originally suggested by Micheál Martin in 2022. Critics of the event, including Michael D. Higgins, accused government of trying to bypass public opinion on neutrality.
A month before the event the Irish Defence and Security Association (IDSA) told its clients – which now includes Lockheed Martin and Saab as well as Irish companies producing dual-use goods…