Seanad debates
Thursday, 10 October 2002
Address by President of the European Parliament.
I am satisfied that we could have a rapid reaction force, which we may or may not use. However, I guarantee Members from my reading of the treaty that it contains nothing which imposes an external obligation to participate. It is absolutely – I use that word carefully – the right of this State, the Houses of the Oireachtas and the Government to make that judgment. No one else owns that right. That is why the Nice treaty is not a defence pact that sucks nations in, willy-nilly, regardless of whether they want to be involved.
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