Martin Mansergh (Fianna Fail)

Due to the change in our position on Partnership for Peace, it was necessary to obtain an electoral mandate and it was put into the manifesto for the European Parliament elections. There were people who were anxious to see a majority of MEPs elected who would be opposed to Partnership for Peace. As it happens, we did fairly well in that election. The Fine Gael Party and even the Labour Party did not have a problem with Partnership for Peace. We gained an electoral mandate after the European Parliament elections. That may not make everything right and we are open to some criticism on the subject. However, the Irish people were at least consulted before it actually happened.