MINISTER FOR Foreign Affairs Micheál Martin has staunchly defended the Government's acceptance of a deal on nuclear power between the USA and India against Labour claims of "capitulation" and "throwing in the towel".

In a terse Dáil row, Labour foreign affairs spokesman Michael D Higgins accused the Government of "rolling over" on a long-held policy of nuclear non-proliferation by accepting the pact between the two countries.

"You've created a sixth nuclear power and you have abandoned the non-proliferation treaty. You have crucially weakened it," he accused. "You've thrown in the towel."

But Mr Martin insisted that Ireland had played a leading role in raising concerns and had done everything it could to improve the matter. The Government had "reluctantly" accepted the deal but there were "demonstrable improvements".

He also pointed out that a leading opponent of the deal had said that the Irish Government did all it could and "no country played a more energetic role in identifying the problems with this deal".

Ireland, a signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) is also a member of the 45-nation Nuclear Suppliers' Group (NSG) which last month accepted the historic deal.

This granted India, which has not signed the NPT, an exemption to rules against nuclear trade with non-signatory states. An angry Mr Higgins asked who contacted the Government to "take away one of the building blocks of Irish foreign policy".

"What pressure was brought by Condoleezza Rice? Did President Bush phone the Taoiseach. Who else? The Indian prime minister sent a special delegate over here to pressurise people into saying yes."

The Galway West TD also suggested that "maybe the Minister might give details of the multi-billion arms contract that has followed within days between the US and India".

But an equally angry Minister insisted that Ireland had played a leading role from the outset among like-minded countries in "seeking clarifications and conveying concerns".

Accusing Mr Higgins of "hyperbole" and of not giving the facts, the Minister insisted it was unfair to use "pejorative language", such as Ireland had "rolled over". Mr Higgins retorted: "I'm sorry you don't like that word. Would capitulate be a better word?" The Minister said it had become "increasingly clear that a very large majority of NSG member states, including several normally like-minded countries, were in favour of granting the exemption".

Mr Martin said that "India with a billion people can reduce the pressure for oil and gas consumption by expanding its nuclear industry. That's good for India's energy security and for the environment" .

Mr Martin said that before the deal six Indian reactors were under the IAEA safeguards. "Under the deal an additional eight will be covered, bringing the total to 14 and all future civilian reactors will be covered."

Mr Higgins said there were still eight nuclear installations in India "not under anybody's control".