FG plans to extend security forces' activities

A Fine Gael-led government will commit Ireland to joining the Partnership for Peace and will amend legislation to allow the Defence Forces and Garda to serve with bodies other than the UN.

The pledges are contained in a new policy document, Advancing Peace, which also pledges "modest additional investment" to allow the Defence Forces increase their involvement in peacekeeping. The document was presented yesterday by the party's defence spokeswoman, Ms Frances Fitzgerald.

In a 10-point plan for increasing Irish participation in overseas operations, Fine Gael pledges to promote the establishment of a European peacekeeping force, backed by a "rapid reaction corps". It promises to expand the UN training school at the Curragh, including the Garda, NGOs and humanitarian organisations in the increased training service offered by the school.

Arguing for membership of the PFP, the document says this would be in keeping with the increased North-South and east-west co-operation envisaged by the Good Friday agreement. Moreover, it would end the policy of "splendid isolation . . . a bad example for other European states which, if followed, would result in greater instability across the continent".

The party also pledges to expand Ireland's observer status with the Western European Union (WEU), both through increased diplomatic activity and commitment of forces to the FAWEU, the "stand-by arrangement" under which WEU participants pledge that forces will be mobilised at short notice for peacekeeping operations.

Introducing the proposals, Ms Fitzgerald said they were timely, given this week's revelations of Department of Finance proposals for Army cutbacks.

The significance of the Fine Gael document, she added, was that "for the first time ever, as far as we are aware, proposals by a political party for a strategic approach to Irish participation in peacekeeping operations are being put forward".

Now that Ireland was an industrialised and comparatively wealthy nation, it could no longer shirk its responsibilities to the international community, she said.