Neutrality 'protocol' amendment is rejected

Irish neutrality no longer exists, the Green party chairman claimed in the Dail. Mr John Gormley said "we have sold out" and neutrality "has been progressively eroded over a number of treaties".

He said the Europe was an economic giant and political dwarf but wanted to become a political giant and a central part of this was a military force.

Neutral countries such as Sweden and Finland no longer referred to themselves as neutral but non-aligned and he asked was Ireland a "neutral State" or "simply non-aligned".

The Dáil rejected by 80 votes to eight his party's amendment, to Nice Treaty legislation which would create a neutrality "protocol", similar to that adopted by Denmark in the past.

There were accusations of hypocrisy on both the Yes and No sides. Mr Gormley accused the Government of "blatant dishonesty" over the overflight and landing facilities at Shannon airport for US aircraft. "Are theses planes part of an attack on Iraq?" Fine Gael in turn accused the Green party of "hypocrisy". Its foreign affairs spokesman, Mr Gay Mitchell, said the Green Party could not have it both ways. "They cannot say we cannot be a member of an alliance and simultaneously say our Defence Forces should not be equipped to deal with all eventualities to protect the lives, well-being and property of Irish citizens." He added that "if an aircraft takes off in Irish airspace and even if we know it is heading for Sellafield, we do not have the equipment or capacity to deal with it." Mr Mitchell said the State would have to rely on Britain or NATO or someone else.

The Minister of State for European Affairs, Mr Dick Roche, said the overflight and landing facilities at Shannon were in keeping with UN resolution 1368. Those who attacked the US were a threat to international peace and security and the facilities were for those forces are engaged ingbringing justice to those who attacked the US, he said.

TDs spent more than three hours discussing an amendment on neutrality. Mr Gormley said the Amsterdam Treaty was the most significant in terms of the erosion of Irish neutrality. The Seville declaration agreed by the Government with the EU "simply says we will have a referendum if we choose to join the military alliance. It states the obvious but it does not get us out of our commitments as part of the European Rapid Reaction Force".