The Government has said that an invitation to NATO to send a representative to the Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs does not affect Ireland's policy on neutrality. The chairman of the joint committee, Mr Des O'Malley, confirmed yesterday that he had invited NATO to send a representative to appear before its next meeting on July 15th.
A Government spokesman last night said it was legitimate for any committee of the Oireachtas to hear views from any quarter on European security issues - in this instance the Partnership for Peace. "Of course the Government supports the policy of neutrality and this invitation has no effect on that policy," he added.
As a follow-up to the committee's last meeting, when ambassadors from neutral European countries presented their perspective on the programme, Mr O'Malley had asked NATO to send a representative.