LABOUR REACTION:A CLAIM by campaigners against the Lisbon Treaty that Ireland's neutrality would be compromised by a Yes vote is "groundless and baseless", Labour leader Eamon Gilmore said yesterday.
"Every single development in the history of the EU since 1973 has been depicted by some group or another in the most alarmist terms as a threat to Irish neutrality.They are at it again with Lisbon," said Mr Gilmore, who singled out Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams for criticism.
In 2001, Mr Adams warned that passing the Nice Treaty would "undermine Irish sovereignty, relegate the country to the second division in a two-speed Europe and compromise the State's neutrality by bringing it into Nato through a European army", he said.
"This proved to be a totally groundless claim. Irish neutrality has not been compromised. And the claims made by Sinn Féin in the current campaign will prove to be just as baseless," he added.
Mr Gilmore accepted that last week's Irish Times/TNS mrbi opinion had shown that a substantial number of voters were concerned about Irish neutrality.
However, the Labour leader said that neutrality was fully protected by safeguards in the Constitution, and by an Irish veto on EU defence policy.
The treaty also safeguards the status of other neutral EU states - Sweden, Finland, Austria, Cyprus and Malta, said Mr Gilmore.
The EU's activities were also limited to peacekeeping, humanitarian and crisis management.
"Nothing in this treaty provides for conscription or for Ireland being forced into wars or imperialist adventures," he added.
Ireland, under the Seville Declaration agreed after the first Nice Treaty referendum, was not bound to come to the aid of any other EU member state, he explained. The declaration states: "In line with its traditional policy of military neutrality, Ireland is not bound by any mutual defence commitment. Nor is Ireland party to any plans to develop a European army."
Ireland's military spending, as a percentage of national wealth, was getting smaller, not bigger, despite No claims, he said.
"There is no compulsion on member states to increase their military expenditure. Member states are however urged to improve their capabilities to ensure that they can participate effectively in the peacekeeping and humanitarian aid objectives of the union.
"Ireland's expenditure on our Army as a proportion of GDP has fallen from just over 4 per cent to less than 2 per cent - and half of that expenditure goes on pensions," he said. The treaty committed the EU to "protecting human rights and eradicating poverty", while EU missions would have to be in accordance with the UN charter, he added.
In a statement yesterday, Minister for Defence Willie O'Dea said Ireland had the strongest ever protection for its policy of neutrality and the treaty did not change this "in any shape or form".
"Ireland cannot join a common European Defence structure unless it is first approved by the Irish people in a separate referendum on this issue," he said.
"The triple lock arrangement for the deployment of our troops on peacekeeping missions applies. Irish troops cannot serve abroad on peacekeeping operations unless it is first approved by the Government, by Dáil Éireann and is sanctioned under a specific United Nations resolution."
