Government neutrality claim is totally cynical invention

THE Government’s claim that neutrality is somehow safeguarded for the first time in the Irish Constitution if Nice is passed is a totally cynical invention.

After Nice’s defeat, when it was clear that many Irish voters were concerned about Ireland’s participation in the NATO-linked EU Rapid Reaction Force (RRF) and its impact on neutrality, the Government realised it had to address these concerns if it hoped to pass Nice second time round.

It then set out to devise a form of constitutional ‘guarantee’ which would give the appearance of protecting neutrality while, in effect, leaving the Government free to pursue exactly what it wanted to pursue in terms of EU military developments while disregarding Ireland’s neutrality.