Seanad debates
Thursday, 12 September 2002
An Bille um an Séú Leasú is Fiche ar an mBunreacht, 2002: An Dara Céim. Twenty-sixth Amendment of the Constitution Bill, 2002: Second Stage.
There is some validity in the people's concerns but at least the amendment to the Constitution deals with that aspect. I have debated the issue of a European arms industry with AFrI and various others. The real issue is whether the sort of protocol to allow us to opt out of all of this would do anything to stop this development in Europe. Whereas our presence along with civilised countries like Austria and other neutral countries at least ought to be a moral restraint, if we opt out, there will be one less ally for that moral restraint. The representatives of AFrI said it was a judgment call as to whether we are better off in or out, so at least we made some progress on that point.
No comments