ANALYSIS: The differing approaches by the main parties to European issues are examined by Deaglán de Bréadún, Foreign Affairs Correspondent
When the history of this period comes to be written, the general election may well be seen as a temporary distraction from the wider issue of whether or not Ireland is going to ratify the Nice Treaty.
Some felt a second Nice referendum should be held the same day as the election to ensure a high turnout and therefore, the argument went, a Yes vote. But the political establishment showed little interest in the proposal, which would have given a political fillip to anti-Nice parties like the Greens and Sinn Féin.
Like motherhood and apple pie in another context, Nice and the European Union feature in the party manifestos, but it is hard to avoid the suspicion that some parties at least were paying lip-service to an issue they hoped would not arise in the campaign.
Among the main parties, the four who supported the Nice Treaty - Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael, Labour and the Progressive Democrats - all favour a second referendum. The Greens and Sinn Féin both want last year's No vote to stand.
The chief conclusion drawn by the pro-Nice forces from last year's referendum debacle is that "something" needs to be done to allay people's fears about the erosion of Irish neutrality. While the Yes campaigners complained that the slogan "No to NATO, no to Nice" was dishonest, it certainly seemed to touch a nerve among the electorate.
The incoming government will have to deal with Nice as a priority and will doubtless seek a declaration on Irish neutrality from the EU member-states at next month's European summit in Seville.
Fianna Fáil, the most likely party to lead the next government, states that a "suitable" declaration is a precondition for holding a second referendum. Not just the party but "the Irish people" must be satisfied that any new treaty "engagements" are entered into "without prejudice to Ireland's specific tradition of neutrality encompassing non-membership of military alliances".
The term "military alliances", in this instance, is taken as a reference to mutual defence arrangements with other states.
While it is not spelt out in the European section of the party's manifesto, Fine Gael has previously called for an EU declaration stating that the Nice Treaty does not oblige Ireland to join a European army or introduce conscription and for agreement to attach a protocol to this effect, if necessary, to the next EU treaty.
Fine Gael would also introduce a White Paper on neutrality "to determine the circumstances in which Ireland could assist in international missions to protect civilians from humanrights abuses".
Although Labour urges a declaration by member-states that Ireland would only take part in missions of the EU's Rapid Reaction Force (RRF) which had UN legitimacy and were approved by the Dáil, the party goes a step further by pledging a constitutional referendum to exclude Ireland from any mutual defence obligations.
"Our proposed provision on neutrality will be brought forward not later than the date of a second Nice referendum," the Labour manifesto continues.
Given that neither Fianna Fáil nor Fine Gael have backed such a proposal, there would probably have to be a Labour majority in the next government to ensure such a pledge was implemented.
More economical with words than Fianna Fáil, the PDs support an EU declaration simply "noting" Ireland's non-participation in military alliances and the traditional Irish policy of military neutrality. Given the importance of the issue and the "unusually low" turnout last June, the PDs want another referendum by the end of the year. The party supports participation in the activities of the Rapid Reaction Force on a case-by-case basis, "where the Dáil has mandated a specific action". The PDs oppose membership of "a common European defence pact or any other military alliance".
The Green Party regards last year's referendum result as "the final, democratic verdict" of the voters and will consequently oppose a second poll on the same document. The party seeks a treaty protocol exempting Ireland from all EU military involvement. It pledges to initiate a different type of referendum, which would guarantee that Irish troops overseas would serve only under the UN flag.
Sinn Féin wants no truck with a second referendum. The EU section of the party's manifesto is headed "Democratic vote on Treaty of Nice must be accepted."
Given that the Greens and Sinn Féin are expected to increase their seats in this election, Labour may come under pressure to withdraw, or at least modify, its support for the treaty. That three of the main parties support a pro-neutrality amendment of the Constitution suggests the issue of Irish participation in the Rapid Reaction Force will be an even more contentious issue in the Nice debate in the autumn.