Brian Hayes (Fine Gael)

I thank Senators for the series of contributions to our amendments. However, it is not a question for other people to decide whether they are satisfied with out position, but rather a matter for us. I suspect the other countries involved in the Nordic battle group would not raise the issue because it has nothing to do with them. It is a matter for us and that is why we need to debate it.

Senator Mansergh spoke about the whole question of public support and consensus and he is right about that. We cannot do this without the full support of the Irish people. However, I will be clear about one thing. His party promised before 1997 as regards involvement in Partnership for Peace that there would be a specific commitment in the Fianna Fáil manifesto on a referendum to get the support of the Irish people. This was a guaranteed commitment, promised by the Taoiseach. What happened to that?