Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 57: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs his plans to change Ireland's traditional policy of neutrality, which in popular consciousness is not purely limited to our non-membership of military alliances. [8388/11]

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

The Government is fully committed to protecting Ireland's traditional policy of military neutrality, characterised by non-participation in military alliances. This policy has been underpinned by a set of complementary values which includes the protection of human rights; support for development; and the promotion of disarmament and the elimination of weapons of mass destruction.

Over the years, this approach has helped us to speak with a distinctive and independent voice on many of the key challenges facing the world in relation to the maintenance of international peace and security. Successive Governments have not interpreted neutrality as meaning that Ireland should avoid international engagement. Rather, they have considered that it enhances our capacity to make a direct and significant contribution to the promotion of global peace and stability through the United Nations, the European Union and in bilateral action. There is no doubt that our non-membership of military alliances strengthens our acceptability in areas which are experiencing conflict. This enables us to make a highly regarded contribution to international peace operations, authorised by the United Nations, whether these operations are undertaken under direct UN command or are led by the European Union or by NATO.