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.

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Comments (2 of 2)

Well done Quinlivan

by Joe

Wed Apr 21, 2010 13:32

Well done Councillor Quinlivan.

I think that FAS and the people running this jobs club owe the public an explanation.

The answer to rising Limerick unemployment does not involve supplying cannon fodder to the British Army. Shame on those acting as British Army recruiting agents in Limerick.

Irish Neutrality

by Roger Cole - Peace & Neutrality Alliance

Tue Apr 20, 2010 19:09

pana at eircom dot net

17 Castle Street, Dalkey, Co. Dublin, Ireland

I would like to congratulate Cllr. Maurice Quinlivan in ensuring that the Millennium Jobs Club
removed information seeking to recruit Irish men and women into the British Army. Not only is is such an advertisement an attack on what remains (if any) of Irish neutrality it is also illegal.
This ad however cannot be seem in isolation. It is just part of a wider trend to make no distinction between imperial wars and wars of national independence. While all of Ireland was part of the British Union & Empire the entire political/media elite encouraged Irish people to fight and die for that
Empire and 180,000 volunteered to do so in the 1914-18 war. While one should have no problem in people remembering those who died in these wars and the battles like the Somme, when doing so, it should always be pointed out that this was an Imperialst War and that those that took part were fighting not for "small nations" by to expand the power of the British Empire.
The reality is for those that support that British Imperial tradition little changes. British troops sought to conquer Afghanistan initially in the early 19th century and now nearly 200 years later they are still at it. It is an indication of the efforts of the born-again Redmondites that is the Fianna Fail Party that they have sent seven Irish soldiers to Afghanistan to fight shoulder to shoulder with th Brish Army.
All those that support the anti-imperialist Republican values should call for the withdrawal of the 7 Irish soldiers from Afghanistan and the termination of the use of Shannon Airport in that war.
Shannonwatch hold a regular vigil from 2-3pm every Sunday at the Shannon Roundabout. They deserve all that support we can give them

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

Comments (2 of 2)