Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

This is part of the Deputy's party's daily hang-up. We have dealt with it at great length before. Since 1999, Ireland has been part of Partnership for Peace, together with other neutral states in Europe. This body plays a hugely important role in UN peacekeeping and humanitarian missions, something we have in common with Lithuania. The Lithuanian Minister, whom I know, is looking forward to Lithuania taking over the Presidency in some ten days' time. One of the things we have been doing, certainly in the area of defence and also on the justice side, in the weeks leading into that country's Presidency is co-ordinating issues it will take over from us. As we are now in our seventh Presidency and this is Lithuania's first Presidency, we are providing every backup and assistance we can. Lithuania is anxious that its Presidency be a success and that it can progress issues that have been addressed during the course of our Presidency. It was a very worthwhile visit by the Chief of Staff to Lithuania and it is most important that visits of this nature take place.

See this speech in context