The free trading Europe of the Common Market and ever expanding liberalism is shedding its skin in favour of a decidedly dirigist endeavour where Brussels thinks nothing of disciplining member states who stray from the script whether through ‘rule of law’ procedures or utilisation of financial instruments through a politicised ECB.

Ireland’s Atlantic economy and Europhilia are on a collision course with Brussels ready and willing to swat Dublin’s self interest the moment the equation shifts.

Breton’s clash with Musk prefigures a wider rumble between EU regulators struggling for global relevance as Europe’s proportional share of the market shrinks and young money from Silicon Valley.

Despite the censorship wars of the past decade a coalition of Big Tech and national protectionists in the form of a second Trump administration will be going to commercial war against Europe leaving Ireland’s business model as the battered child in a failing marriage.

Against this emergent chasm where the Irish economy could well fall into genuine national leadership is required. The slavish dependence on multilateralism to which the Irish state has both profited and suffered from will naturally have to stop in this new world of Great Powers.

Whereas before Dublin was the belthole for multinationals, now we are set to become the censorship capital of the world highlighted by the city becoming the primary regulatory agent for the Digital Services Act, specifically designed by the EU to cripple American platforms.

The atrophied  muscles of Irish capitalism which was never motivated to industrialise in the first place and was allergic to national independence will have to prepare itself for when the likes of Google, Intel and Apple up stick amid a transatlantic tariff war.

The likes of On The Ditch justifiably take swipes at Ireland’s sycophantic comprador economy without the foresight to realise only a return to national economics can revitalise our collective holdings.

The good-boy-ism we have shown at the European Council may have to be sunsetted in favour of a pragmatic prepper attitude to the EU where the Irish population must be ready to eject from the EU eventually should the federalist project become all consuming.

Regardless of one’s opinions on NATO, basic military competency is needed to defend our ports and waters lest outside powers do so.

No guarantee but my hope is that the moment the Irish state is wrought by real disaster by its legislative laziness it will be forced to sideline some of the progressive policies that have brought the country at large to the social brink.

The only alternative to becoming a semi-serious state is vassalising fully into one of the three rival powers (EU, UK or U.S.) present on the island.

Amid a future existential trade war or war in the Atlantic will the Oireachtas have time to legislate transgender story hour or stuff in Algerians into international protection. Like a spoiled child kicked out of the family home and forced to iron shirts and budget for itself Irish hyper-liberalism will be blunted as the state is gradually forced to get real about its capabilities and ability to actually govern the nation.

Dublin: The Los Angeles that Failed?

As the titans clash it is worth reflecting on where this new post-liberal era may take our capital by surprise considering the past decade of schizophrenic development, mass migration and terminal stasis.

Walk five minutes from Facebook’s European headquarters on Misery Hill near the Dublin docklands to appreciate how the Republic’s economic model has burst the banks of what ultimately is a regional city in size.

An uneasy urban arrangement is present between native Dubs on Pearse Street and apartments of Indian tech workers as those in the economic middle are squeezed out of the capital. Disputes about whitewater surfing and even hellish consultations over the postponed Metrolink point to a city that has outlived its economic model.