Attempt to stimulate more public debate

THE White Paper sets out to make Irish foreign policy more comprehensible for the general public by putting it in a wider setting of principles and international background.

It is also inspired by Mr Spring's repeated ambition to encourage debate, achieve more democratic accountability and create a sense of ownership of Irish foreign policy among citizens generally.

There are many references to the series of seminars held as the White Paper was being prepared and attended by hundreds of people last year. Submissions made to the Department have been, lodged in the National Archives.

Further seminars will be organised on a regular basis. There is a commitment to keep the public fully informed of EU developments during the Irish presidency and the Inter Governmental Conference and to publish annually an account of how and why Ireland voted on resolutions at the UN General Assembly.

Systematic liaison with non governmental organisations and lobby groups is to be extended. The concluding chapter on "The Democratic Accountability of Foreign Policy" explains the political and constitutional structure within which foreign policy is conducted.

The wider international setting is presented in the first two chapters of the White Paper on "Challenges and Opportunities Abroad" and "Background to Irish Foreign Policy.

Foreign policy is defined as "the pursuit by a state of its interests, concerns and values in the external environment". But there is no absolute dividing line between foreign and domestic policy, so that other departments are involved, posing a problem of coherence between them. In practice most policy is co-ordinated through the European Union.

The nation state remains central as the main framework through which identity, cohesion and politics are conducted, despite the growing internationalisation of world politics.

The United Nations, the European Union and the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe are identified as the main relevant organisations for Ireland but other players, such as multinational companies and international interest groups, are important too.

Several relevant "global developments" are suggested as germane to the conduct of Irish foreign policy.

Globalisation of trade, finance and communications, organised crime and environmental pollution present a challenge to the common good. The growing gap between the world of the well fed and rich and the poor and hungry is a destabilising factor.

The growing importance of a common EU foreign policy, the new security environment and EU enlargement all provide a new context for Irish foreign policy.