Austin Deasy
Ceist:79 Mr. Deasy asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if Ireland has considered joining NATO; and the approaches, if any, made by NATO to Ireland in this regard. [12083/99]
Written Answers. - Military Neutrality.
The Government has not considered joining NATO and has no intention of joining NATO. The Government has received no approach or invitation to join NATO, from NATO itself or from any other quarter.
The Deputy will be aware that, in January 1949, the US Government informally sought the views of the then Government of Ireland concerning the issue of an official invitation to Ireland to participate in the proposed North Atlantic Treaty, which came into effect later that year. The Government at the time indicated that it did not wish to join NATO, on the grounds of the partition of Ireland. The texts of an exchange of aide-memoires with the United States on the topic were published by the Stationary Office as P. No. 9934 and can be found in the Oireachtas Library.
I am not aware of any subsequent approaches by NATO to Ireland in this regard.