The Cabinet will today approve Ireland's membership of the NATO-led Partnership for Peace. A motion outlining the terms and conditions of membership, will be submitted to the Dail next week. The Government does not intend to hold a referendum.
While several Fianna Fail backbenchers have called for a referendum on the issue, the Government is likely to have Fine Gael backing for its motion in the Dail.
The decision to join PfP without a referendum marks a U-turn in the Taoiseach's position. In the 1997 general election, Mr Ahern committed Fianna Fail to holding a referendum on PfP.
However, the Fianna Fail-PD coalition has for some time indicated it would not hold a referendum. The Government says its legal advice is that PfP membership is fully in accordance with the State's policy of "military neutrality".
The Labour Party yesterday published a Bill which provides that the State would not join the PfP without seeking the approval of the people in a "consultative plebiscite". It points out that plebiscites have been held in other jurisdictions, "the most familiar being that which was held in Northern Ireland seeking popular approval for the Belfast Agreement".
At today's Cabinet meeting, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Andrews, will submit a "presentation document" on the relations between Ireland and the PfP.
The PfP structure allows member-states to sign up for different levels of involvement. The Government's document is likely to commit Ireland to humanitarian and peacekeeping activities.
A Government spokesman last night confirmed the document "makes clear that Ireland does not intend to become a member of NATO. Partnership for Peace does not impact on the policy of military neutrality."
The Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ms Liz O'Donnell, last week told the Dail "there had been useful informal official level discussions with the NATO Secretariat on practical and administrative arrangements for participation in PfP".
There are 43 countries involved in PfP, which was established in 1994 to provide a framework for regional security co-operation in Europe. Of these, 24 are not members of NATO.
The State would be required to fund the costs of participation, including a proportion of the cost of exercises in which Defence Force personnel participate.
The move will see Ireland for the first time establishing diplomatic relations with the NATO military alliance. The Ambassador to Belgium, Mr Eamonn Ryan, will be accredited to NATO, in Brussels.
Fianna Fail sources were confident last night that all the party's TDs would support next week's Dail motion on PfP membership. Among those who have publicly backed calls for a referendum are Mr Dick Roche of Wicklow, Mr John Browne of Wexford, and the two Dublin North Central deputies, Mr Sean Haughey and Mr Ivor Callely. Independent TD Ms Mildred Fox has also called for a referendum.
Former Taoiseach Mr Albert Reynolds was reported to favour a referendum, but he was not available to comment last night.
Pressure is now likely to increase on those deputies to break ranks with the Government in the Dail vote. However, with Fine Gael backing, the Government could afford some defections.