Policy flip-flop by Greens in government

IRISH troops are now on standby as part of the EU Nordic Battlegroup.

It has been claimed by Defence Minister Willie O’Dea that such an involvement does not interfere with traditional Irish neutrality. Does the Green party in government agree? When in opposition, John Gormley, the party leader, is on the record as asking: “How can we be members of the European Rapid Reaction Force and still claim to be neutral?”

This could be described as another area where the Government is enacting a stance that the Green party does not “technically” support. It seems to me Mr Gormley now regards Ireland as no longer being a neutral country.