Ireland not joining a military alliance 'puts additional responsibility on us' - Varadkar.
"We're not going to join NATO, both the Tánaiste and I made that very clear," he said."We're an island, we've a lot of air above us and a lot of seas - much greater seas in our Exclusive Economic Zone than we have territory.
"Ireland has never been politically neutral, even during the Second World War when de Valera first announced the policy of neutrality we helped the allies and we were on the side of the allies."Then during the Cold War... we were on the side of western democracy and freedom, and we joined the European Union."We're not neutral in the war in Ukraine - we're on the side of the people of Ukraine.
"That actually creates an additional responsibility on us, to make sure that we are better equipped to defend ourselves and doesn't preclude us from cooperating with other countries".Mr Varadkar said defence investments will not be made in things like fighter jets. "Things like cyber security, for example... we don't have any plans to buy any aircraft carriers or fighter jets.
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