Martin Mansergh (Fianna Fail)

Over the years going back to Éamon de Valera Irish foreign policy has had a very high ethical content but not totally divorced from interests. For example, we eschew the use of force, but of course, we do not have any force to use. Unfortunately the term "ethical foreign policy" is a rather discredited term from British politics. The former British Foreign Secretary, Robin Cook, used the term and was then laughed to scorn when people saw the scale of arms sales, etc.