Eight things we learned from the Irish security policy forum

The Government's Consultative Forum on International Security Policy finished up on Tuesday evening after four days, 16 panels and about 80 speakers (as well as various protests from anti-war activists). Characterised in some sectors as a Government scheme to bounce Ireland into Nato, the forum was in fact a varied discussion on the international security landscape which included strong defences of Irish neutrality. Here are several takeaways. We're not joining Nato and Nato isn't particularly interested in having us as a member: In his address to the conference Taoiseach Leo Varadkar repeated his insistence that Ireland is not joining Nato….