Ireland will not take part in efforts to secure the Strait of Hormuz, the Taoiseach has said, reports Breaking News.
US President Donald Trump has renewed his appeal for assistance in ensuring the safe passage of vessels through the strait, two weeks after launching a bombing campaign alongside Israel against Iran, which has since responded with attacks across the region, reports Breaking News.
The growing tensions are affecting the flow of oil and other essential resources through the Strait.
Taoiseach Micheál Martin, who is scheduled to meet Trump on Wednesday, said discussions were ongoing within NATO regarding the security of the route, but noted that Ireland is not a member of the alliance, reports Breaking News.
When asked about Trump’s call for countries to assist, Martin told reporters in Washington: “We’re not a military power. We don’t have that offensive military capacity in any shape or form, so obviously that’s not something that’s on our agenda.”
He said Ireland is seeking a “peaceful resolution”, adding: “There is obviously huge concern about the economic implications globally, energy price increases and so on, reports Breaking News,
“But that works both ways and I think Iran is recklessly attacking all the Gulf states, for example, and all the citizens and European citizens and Irish citizens within the Gulf who are under threat from those kind of reckless attacks.”
Meanwhile, the United Kingdom government announced that approximately £50 million will be allocated to support low-income households that rely on oil for heating.
The Irish Government has not yet outlined its own response, with the Taoiseach saying on Tuesday that he could not provide specifics but emphasised that any measures would be “targeted” towards those on lower incomes, reports Breaking News.
Asked about the UK’s move, Martin said: “I think you need to assess what the UK Government has actually announced, and you know, we will do that.
“But I mean more fundamentally, as I said yesterday, any measures we take it’s not just a short-term horizon that we have to look at, we’ve got to look at the medium term horizon and what impact it has on the overall budget, reports Breaking News,
“Because we have objectives in terms of services as well that we need to invest in continually and we want room for that in the next Budget.”
Martin cautioned that rising oil and energy inflation could have knock-on effects that must remain “under active review”.
He added: “We want a targeted approach at one level where we understand that people are under a lot of pressure and therefore those on low incomes, we certainly want to help,” reports Breaking News,
The Taoiseach said he did not want to “raise expectations”, adding: “My approach in terms of this is what is the most effective way to protect people who need protection – as well as protecting the economy and avoiding creating inflationary pressures.”
Martin also said the previous UK Government “got into all sorts of difficulties” due to the “botched way” it handled inflation linked to the Ukraine conflict, reports Breaking News.
“So we have to do this in a measured, balanced way that targets our resources and is effective.”
Meanwhile, Finance Minister Simon Harris said he expects his department to complete a macroeconomic assessment “in the coming days”.
Speaking after meeting UK Chancellor Rachel Reeves in London, Harris said the government is considering a “range of levers” and pointed to the fuel allowance as an effective support for those most at risk of fuel poverty, while noting that excise reductions have also been used previously, reports Breaking News.
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