The Taoiseach yesterday called for a Yes vote in the referendum on the Nice Treaty at a review of the last Irish battalion set for peacekeeping duty in Lebanon.
Mr Ahern, after reviewing the 560 soldiers, said: "Next month, Irish people will be asked once again to reaffirm their support for our role in an enlarged Europe. I ask for the people to vote Yes in that referendum and to reaffirm their support for a strong and prosperous Europe.
"Late last year, Ireland was given the singular honour of being elected to the United Nations Security Council for a two-year term. We faced tough opposition for this honour, and I know that Ireland's distinctive role in UN peacekeeping throughout the world was one of the cornerstones of our campaign and one of the reasons for our success," Mr Ahern said.
He believed that Irish people were fully aware of the "overwhelmingly positive benefits" of membership of the EU.
"The economic benefits, in terms of increased jobs, growth and exports, have benefited every region in the country. A single market of 350 million people, soon to expand to over 500 million when enlargement happens, is of enormous importance to an open trading economy like ours," he said.
"There are people who will argue that the Nice Treaty represents a step towards a single European army. This is not true. The security and defence aspects of the treaty are minor technical details which allow the EU to live up to its responsibilities and to develop its capacity to undertake humanitarian tasks.
"As I have said repeatedly, it is solely a sovereign decision as to what, if any, missions Ireland will take part in, and if Ireland chooses to do so, it will only be with UN authorisation.
"Ireland has nothing to fear, and much to gain, from the Treaty of Nice," Mr Ahern said. "We in Ireland have demonstrated, over the past three decades, that we are well able to adapt to and take advantage of the benefits and opportunities which full participation in the Union has offered us."
The troops reviewed yesterday consisted of the 89th Infantry Battalion and the 44th Irish Component. The component, attached to UNIFIL headquarters at Naqoura, has a strength of 70. The 489-strong battalion is under the command of Lieut Col Gerry Hegarty.