Taxpayer’s money used to facilitate British Army recruitment in Moyross

national | anti-war / imperialism | press release

Tuesday April 20, 2010 17:35

by Cllr Maurice Quinlivan - Limerick City Sinn Féin

Irish neutrality and sovereignty are being violated by the active recruitment of young Irishmen into the British Army in Moyross, according to local Sinn Féin Councillor Maurice Quinlivan. He said it was disgraceful that this was being facilitated by a jobs club totally funded by the Irish taxpayer.

Irish neutrality and sovereignty are being violated by the active recruitment of young Irishmen into the British Army in Moyross, according to local Sinn Féin Councillor Maurice Quinlivan. He said it was disgraceful that this was being facilitated by a jobs club totally funded by the Irish taxpayer.

Speaking today Quinlivan said: “Irish neutrality is being violated by the recruitment of young people into the British Army in Moyross. To add insult to injury taxpayer’s money is being used to facilitate this recruitment.

Outside the Millennium Jobs club at the Watch House Cross today I saw an advertisement urging people to “Join the Royal Irish Army” and to “apply in Jobs Club.” I was appalled. When I expressed my opposition to this I was told that it would be good to “instil discipline in them” and that the Jobs Club employee is “no fan of my party.”

Article 4 of the Hague Convention on neutrality states that “combatants cannot be formed nor recruiting agencies opened on the territory of a neutral Power to assist the belligerents.”

As unemployment grows the danger is that more young Irish people will be duped into joining this mercenary force. Indeed I was told that it was a “Northern Irish Regiment” as if such a thing existed outside the British Army.

It is disgraceful that a local Jobs Club which is funded by taxpayer’s money is attempting to recruit young people to join the British Army. In fact I overheard one conversation between one young lad and the Jobs Club employee who thought it was the Irish Army he was joining. When he expressed the view that he had a problem serving in the British Army, he was told to “Try it out you might like it!”

I am truly amazed and appalled. When you join an army there is no “try it out you might like it.” There was no mention of the role of the British Army as aggressors and occupiers in Iraq, Afghanistan and Ireland, or the fact that many soldiers from that regiment have died in these places in recent times.

The few local people I spoke to at the library were unaware of the sign and very angry about it. Following a complaint I made to FÁS I am glad the sign has now been removed. The British Army is actively engaged in wars and their recruitment activity in Ireland violates Irish sovereignty and neutrality. The fact that taxpayer’s money is being used to fund this is scandalous.