Vol. 502 No. 6
10 Proinsias De Rossa asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the steps, if any, the Government has taken to date to promote debate on the issue of whether Ireland should join the NATO sponsored Partnership for Peace; the contacts, if any, his Department has had with NATO in this regard; his views on whether membership of the organisation would be in conflict with traditional Irish neutrality; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8933/99]
25 Mr. Higgins (Dublin West) asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he discussed Ireland's proposed membership of Partnership for Peace during his recent meetings with EU leaders; and, if so, if he will report on these discussions. [5777/99]
90 Mr. Sargent asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if a referendum will be held before the end of 1999 regarding Ireland's position in relation to Partnership for Peace in view of his statement quoted in a newspaper (details supplied); his views on the way in which a conclusion will be reached [5283/99]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 10, 25 and 90 together.
I refer the Deputies to the reply I have already given to Question No. 5 from Deputy Mitchell.
In relation to Deputy De Rossa's question, in which he inquires whether there have been any contacts between my Department and NATO regarding Partnership for Peace, it was made clear to the Dáil, by the Deputy's current party colleague and then Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs, Deputy Spring, when the Deputy was in Government, that senior officials of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Defence had consultations with NATO on 20 June 1996 to explore further the benefits which Ireland could derive from PfP. I understand that these consultations were entirely satisfactory to the then Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and confirmed his understanding that each participating state can determine the terms and scope of its contribution; that participation would have no implications for the policy of military neutrality; and that PfP had proven itself to be a key forum for peacekeeping co-operation. The reference is at Volume 478, No. 5, Column 914 of Dáil Debates for 30 April 1997. Officials of my Department have periodic contact with the NATO secretariat on peacekeeping issues, principally arising from Irish participation in the Bosnia Stabilisation Force (SFOR).
