Some say that we have opted out of our international obligations, but that is not the case. We have a proud tradition of playing our part on the international stage, from our missionaries to our NGOs and peacekeepers. As a former peacekeeper, I can say that our neutral status is something that was welcomed by the host countries which invited us in. Ireland was always the country they wanted. We are good at peacekeeping because of our traditional, non-aligned military role. We have a humanitarian role to play, but that does not mean that we should not face up to our international responsibilities and those we must face in Europe. We should participate in negotiations with regard to EU defence, but we should do so in accordance with the provisions laid down in the Treaty of Amsterdam. The Government is proceeding in that way. We must have a say and face up to responsibilities. We can do so by committing forces deal with humanitarian needs, crisis management and peacekeeping.