Minister for Foreign Affairs Dermot Ahern has rejected claims that the proposed EU constitution would erode Irish neutrality. Speaking at the Forum on Europe in Dublin Castle yesterday, Mr Ahern said there were various "safeguards" to ensure neutrality.
He said the State could not be forced into taking part in any military operations it was opposed to, and that any military operations it took part in would have to be endorsed by the UN.
Green Party chairman John Gormley claimed that the aims of the provisions in relation to defence and security were aimed at creating a European military power to rival that of the US.
Describing the constitution as "a very good deal for Europe and a particularly good deal for Ireland", Mr Ahern said the text "facilitates Ireland playing a full and active part in the EU's security and defence policy without prejudicing in any way our policy of military neutrality".
He said the constitution had various provisions for defence and security, the primary role of which "is to give the Union an operational capacity to undertake peacekeeping and crisis-management roles outside the territory of the member-states".
It was "fully consistent with Ireland's traditional policy of military neutrality".He said the provisions could not prejudice the military policy of member-states, and that "all EU decisions on defence and security matters which involve Ireland will continue to be taken by unanimity".
Mr Gormley said that, contrary to the Government's claims, the thrust of the provisions were for "making the EU military more effective on a world stage".
He warned that the constitution would erode Irish neutrality. "The constitution sets the [ scene] for a fully-inclusive military alliance."
Mr Ahern is to draw up proposals for a civilian response group to act as a rapid humanitarian reaction force in natural and humanitarian disasters abroad.The proposals, which will be brought to cabinet in the coming months, would see the establishment of teams of experts in various fields, who would be able to travel to disaster zones at short notice to provide a coordinated response.
"The civilian response group is a structured way of trying to tap into the good will and skills of the Irish people," a spokesman for Mr Ahern said.