Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I regret the knee-jerk antagonistic approach the Deputy is taking to this. As soon as I announced it, the Deputy was out like a flash saying it was a threat to military neutrality. Why is the Deputy afraid of such debate? Why is he afraid of this country having an informed, open and public discussion about broader issues of the international threats facing the world and which Ireland has to work within? This consultative forum is not about a binary choice between military neutrality or joining or not joining an alliance. It is much broader than that. As I have outlined, it will take on board disarmament, as well as peacekeeping and conflict prevention, which have been the hallmark of Irish foreign policy for quite some time.

The Deputy is playing politics with this, banging the drum and playing to a base to the detriment of a genuine, informed public debate, which is healthy in a democracy. The Deputy should not be as opposed to democratic debate as he is. He should not be concerned. I will not try to orchestrate this debate as, perhaps, his party would on many other issues. Be a bit more open and trusting of people.

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