The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Andrews, is to seek the full support of Government backbench TDs for Ireland's entry to Partnership for Peace at tomorrow's meeting of the Fianna Fail Parliamentary Party.
Mr Andrews will attempt to assuage the fears of a number of Fianna Fail TDs concerned that Ireland is set to join the NATO-sponsored PfP without the referendum promised in the Taoiseach's general election campaign.
Six TDs are known to be concerned by the PfP decision process, including the former Taoiseach, Mr Albert Reynolds; two Dublin TDs, Mr Ivor Callely and Mr Sean Haughey; the Wexford TD, Mr John Browne; the Wicklow TD, Mr Dick Roche; and the Tipperary North TD, Mr Michael O'Kennedy.
One of the strongest party opponents of PfP entry, Mr Reynolds is to travel to the US today on business and is not expected back for the vote on Thursday.
It is unlikely that any of the other TDs will vote against the Government and thereby risk losing the party whip. As Fine Gael is to support the Government motion, the support of all the TDs is not vital.
A Government source said last night that if any TD voted against the Government on PfP they would automatically lose the whip. "But that is hypothetical. We are clear that, after the Parliamentary Party meeting, all TDs will be happy."
The Government Chief Whip, Mr Seamus Brennan, told The Irish Times that Mr Andrews is expected tomorrow to explain the details of the State's planned participation in PfP.
Labour, the Green Party and Sinn Fein have denounced the decision not to hold a referendum, with the Labour leader, Mr Ruairi Quinn, calling it "a gross betrayal of the Irish people".
The debate on the PfP motion is due to start in the Dail on Wednesday evening with a vote late on Thursday morning.
The "presentation document" approved by the Cabinet last week outlines the extent of Ireland's proposed involvement in PfP and has already been approved by NATO. It envisages that Defence Forces staff, units and training facilities will become involved in training exercises with NATO and non-NATO states at home and abroad for "peace support, search-and-rescue and humanitarian missions".
Defence Forces assets in Ireland put at PfP's disposal may include "an infantry company group, leading to an infantry battalion group, battalion staff elements, specialist detachments, for example engineers, logisticians and exchange personnel".
The document restates Ireland's policy of military neutrality and asserts that Ireland does not intend to join NATO. Ireland will take part in PfP peacekeeping activities, including "operational and generic planning for peacekeeping and peace support, communications, command and control, operational procedures, logistics and training".
Ireland will also participate in PfP's "planning and review" process, which is designed to ensure that military forces of NATO and non-NATO states can operate together effectively.
The Government also wants to develop co-operation with other PfP states in humanitarian operations, in civil search-and-rescue, in dealing with threats to the environment, and in marine research, technology and development.