Ireland's Foreign Relations in 2018

Abstract

Author’s e-mail: donnacha.obeachain@dcu.ie Irish Studies in International Affairs, Vol. 30 (2019), 235–264 doi: https://doi.org/10.3318/ISIA.2019.30.11 INTRODUCTION1 This article examines aspects of Ireland’s foreign relations in 2018. It begins with a brief synopsis of domestic politics in Ireland. Deteriorating relations between Russia and the West are then surveyed, particularly the Irish response to the poisoning of Sergei Skripal, for which the Kremlin was blamed, and which­ triggered the mass expulsion of diplomats. The visit of Pope Francis to Ireland is examined and provides an opportunity to reflect on the rapidly changing interactions between Ireland and the Holy See. Subsequent sections are devoted to signifi­ cant political events during the Brexit negotiations process including the ‘chequers plan’, the Salzburg summit and the withdrawal agreement negotiated by the European Union and the British Government. The review then appraises the presidency of Michael D. Higgins and its role in Ireland’s foreign relations. Before concluding, a brief section is devoted to those significant ­figures in Irish and international politics who died during the year. DOMESTIC POLITICAL SETTING Throughout the year, opinion polls suggested support levels for Fine Gael was at around 30 per cent, with Fianna Fáil trailing slightly on around 27 per cent, and Sinn Féin peaking at around the 20 per cent mark. Gerry Adams stepped down from the position of President of Sinn Féin after 35 years at the helm and was replaced by Mary Lou McDonald. The government enjoyed strong backing for its performance during Brexit negotiations. All parties in Dáil Éireann consistently supported the backstop, 1 The author would like to acknowledge the support of a Marie Curie Research and Innovation Staff Exchange scheme within the H2020 Programme (grant acronym: SHADOW, no: 778118). Ireland’s Foreign Relations in 2018 Donnacha Ó Beacháin1 School of Law and Government, Dublin City University 236 Irish Studies in International Affairs as did a majority in Northern Ireland. The confidence and supply arrangement put Fianna Fáil in the difficult position of propping up a party they opposed and sought to replace in government. Moreover, a general election was considered unlikely to fundamentally change the parliamentary arithmetic. In December, Fianna Fáil announced that it would continue to keep Fine Gael in office for another year, because of the uncertainties associated with Brexit. Party leader Micheál Martin said, ‘The chaos will not spread here from London… The national interest will come first’. This meant an election was considered unlikely before 2020.2 IRELAND, RUSSIA AND THE SKRIPAL CASE Ireland-Russia relations Ireland’s relationship with Russia has almost always been complicated. Due in part to its long-standing antipathy to communism, Ireland had the distinction of being the last EEC member state to establish diplomatic relations with the USSR. Fearing espionage and mischief making in Northern Ireland, foreign minister Garret FitzGerald had told his communist counterpart, Andrei Gromyko, in 1973 that he wanted the Soviet embassy to be a small mission. Gromyko, in turn, accused FitzGerald of uncritically repeating American propaganda .3 FitzGerald’s fears proved well founded when in 1983, a KGB spy ring was located operating out of the unlikely venue of the Stillorgan Shopping Centre. Consequently, three Soviet diplomats were expelled from Ireland.4 Difficulties persisted with the USSR’s main successor state, Russia.5 In 2010, the Gardaí concluded that the Russian embassy in Rathgar had been cloning the passports of Irish citizens applying for visas and distributing these bogus documents to Russian spies in the US. This resulted in the expulsion of a Russian diplomat. The ill-defined retaliation threatened by Moscow never materialised.6 Following Russia’s annexation of Crimea in March 2014 and military­ support for separatism in the Donbas region of Ukraine, Ireland participated in EU-sponsored sanctions, which reduced trade with Russia. While the EU ­ sanctions had targeted individuals and companies connected with 2 ‘Fianna Fáil guarantees no election in 2019 amid Brexit uncertainty as it extends confidence and supply arrangement’, Irish Independent, 12 December 2018. 3 Garret FitzGerald, All in a Life (Dublin, 1991), 126. 4 ‘Ireland and the KGB’, RTÉ Documentary on One...