asked the Taoiseach if he will state the Government's attitude to Ireland's traditional policy of neutrality.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Neutrality Policy.
1.
The Constitution provides in Article 28.3.1 that war shall not be declared and that the State shall not participate in any war save with the assent of Dáil Éireann.
Our attitude in a war situation would fall to be determined as the necessity arises. As we are not members of any military alliance we are not committed in our attitude towards any future war. Any decision to become involved would, of course, pursuant to the Constitution, be subject to the assent of Dáil Éireann.
Does the Taoiseach not now realise that there might be more implications in joining the EEC than were first envisaged by him? Does he not consider that there might be compulsion on us to join a military bloc?
We have at all times fully recognised the implications of becoming members of the EEC, and we have not changed our views or our aspirations in that direction.
Is the Taoiseach then saying that at all times in this House he made it clear that by joining the Common Market, we were abandoning our traditional policy of neutrality in international war? Is he saying that at all times this was made clear?
Yes. We have always made clear what membership of the Community would involve for us.
That we would commit ourselves militarily?
That will depend on the terms of acceptance, and it will depend on the manner in which the political union which is inherent in the Treaty of Rome will be worked out.
Surely when we come to negotiate for membership of the EEC, there will be no let-down by those with whom we will be negotiating as far as military commitment is concerned?
We are not involved in any military commitment.
We can assume, therefore, we still have the same policy of neutrality as was stated by the then Taoiseach, now President de Valera, in this House in connection with the 1939-1945 war: there is no military commitment, and there will not be if we become members of the EEC?
Our terms of membership will have to be approved by Dáil Éireann.
Does that mean if it involves military alignment, we will withdraw from it?
That is a separate question.
That is a hypothesis.
Will the Taoiseach assure us now that at no time will any agreement which his Government propose to undertake, whether by way of membership of the Common Market or otherwise, even remotely embroil us in military alliances or military blocs? Will he give us that assurance now, because he does not seem to be giving a straight answer to this question.
Members of the Labour Party seem to want us to exist in a state of cuckooland isolation, away from political and economic pressures. Our economic and our political future will have to develop according as circumstances provide and according as Dáil Éireann decides in relation to matters affected by the Constitution.
Is the Taoiseach now trying to say we may have to trade our neutrality for membership of the European Economic Community?
I never said any such thing.
If we did join the EEC and it involved us in a military pact, would it be necessary to amend the Constitution?
Certain constitutional amendments will be necessary in the event of our joining the EEC. I should like to direct the attention of the members of the Labour Party to my speech in which I introduced the motion seeking the approval of Dáil Éireann to reactivate our application for membership of the EEC, and, in particular, to columns 745 to 748, in which this matter was fully dealt with without any ambiguity whatever, and no suggestions made by the Labour Party can make this ambiguous. It is quite clear what our position will be under the Treaty of Rome.
Does the Taoiseach therefore say that military commitments within the EEC will be a matter on which we will negotiate?
We will negotiate terms of entry, but we cannot anticipate what those terms will be or what particular terms our application will depend on.
With your permission, Sir, I wish to raise this matter on the Adjournment.
We will cross those bridges when we come to them. We are a long way from the river now.
The Chair will consider Deputy Dunne's request.