Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal North East, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

As the Minister is aware, Ireland has a proud tradition of neutrality. Our people are very proud of it, have endorsed it and wish to see it continue but it is active neutrality. Ireland has been one of the highest per capita contributors to overseas aid in the world. That has been our tradition. Our tradition in the missionaries is one of active participation in assistance to the developing world. We have made a real contribution to conflict resolution. As I speak, people are assisting the process in Colombia in a real way, learning from the lessons here in Ireland. It has happened in Sri Lanka also and will happen in many other countries. We have a proud tradition of blue helmet peacekeeping operations. We have an active, participative role. We do not sit on the fence. We play to our historical strengths. We are not a country that colonised other countries. We were colonised, and that gives us real strength and credibility in playing a role in conflict resolution. That is the context.

The concern is that we have had the Beyond Neutrality document from Gay Mitchell, from the Minister's party. We have had these comments from the Minister. Can the Minister confirm decisively that the Fine Gael Party, and the Minister as Minister for Defence, stand by and are proud of our position of neutrality and wish to move forward on that basis?

See this speech in context