The issue of neutrality was central to the debate on the Nice treaty and was part of the reason the referendum was lost last year. We must ask ourselves whether or not we are facing the same questions in this debate. The Treaty of Nice has not changed but several additional and genuinely important factors have to be taken into consideration in the Irish context. I applaud the declarations made at the Seville Summit by the Government and our EU partners. When one looks at the response to those declarations by those who claim to champion Irish neutrality, it is remarkable that they can happily dismiss them as if the words mean nothing. Many of those who claim to champion neutrality are naysayers whose thinking is entirely negative. They will never be persuaded that their concept of neutrality can ever be maintained by anyone but themselves.