The prospect of tens of millions of pounds of public money being spent on military equipment in order to allow the Defence Forces to participate in NATO-led security arrangements was raised at two separate press conferences in Dublin yesterday.
At one, the soldiers' union, Permanent Defence Forces Other Ranks Representative Association (PDFORRA), proposed the expansion of the Army and envisaged the Republic sending as many as 4,600 men in a mechanised infantry capacity to serve in NATO-led operations and exercises.
PDFORRA also proposed that the Defence Forces have "intercept" or "strike" aircraft.
At the second press conference, the Green Party criticised the Government for changing its stance on the Republic's participation in the Programme for Peace (PfP). It also pointed out that the Government had already committed £40 million to spending on armoured vehicles for the Army to prepare it for a mechanised infantry role.
Mr John Gormley of the Green Party said the Government was "softening up" the electorate in preparation for joining the NATO-led PfP. Mr Gormley argued against the spending of public funds on equipment which he said was intended to give the military a role in a European defence alliance.
He referred to the recent decision by the Government to sanction the acquisition of 40 armoured personnel carriers (APCs) for the Defence Forces. The Department of Defence is to decide soon on the winner of the tender to supply the vehicles.
Mr Gormley said: "The Government is spending £40 million on acquiring these new [armoured personnel] carriers. If it comes to inter-operability with NATO forces [where the Defence Forces would acquire equipment to match that used by other NATO-affiliated countries] they are going to have to spend a lot more.
"The question in political terms is: would we not be better spending the money on education, health services and child care?"
The Green Party MEP, Ms Patricia McKenna, said: "Despite what the pro-PfP parties are saying this is a partnership with NATO and there is no way of disclaiming that. The main objective of NATO is to extend eastwards and open up new markets for the arms industries.
"Any support Ireland gives this move runs counter to our support for disarmament. On no account should Ireland be supporting the expansion of NATO."
In contrast with the Green Party position, PDFORRA called for a massive increase in defence spending.
The general secretary, Mr John Lucey, said he did not believe joining a NATO-led group like PfP would endanger Irish neutrality.
He was commenting during PDFORRA's introduction of its submission to the Government's White Paper on Defence, which is expected later this year.
PDFORRA proposed the acquisition of another four ships, bringing the total in the Naval Service to 12; increasing the size of the Army from 11,500 to 13,500; and acquiring attack and troop-lifting aircraft for the Air Corps.
Mr Lucey said he would put no figure on the amount of extra spending such a programme would entail.
He accused senior civil servants of having an agenda to "downgrade" the Defence Forces.