Madam, - Carol Fox of the Peace and Neutrality Alliance (April 19th) asks why there is mention of a mutual defence clause in the Lisbon Treaty.
For the same reason there has been a mention of it in all the other recent treaties approved by the Irish people.
The European Union has indicated that there may in the future be a common defence if (a) The European Council (heads of state or government) unanimously decide that they want to bring this about and (b) if each member-state ratifies this decision in accordance with its constitutional requirements.
What was de facto the case and is now de jure the case following the Nice Treaty referendum, is repeated again in the Referendum Bill currently being debated by the Oireachtas. Should a common defence come about, Ireland will have to have another referendum. Fine Gael favours joining a common EU defence if we can negotiate the right terms. Our policy is set out in "Beyond Neutrality".
The first duty of the State is to provide for the security of its citizens. Our defence forces are not equipped to deal with the sort of attacks which are now possible, unlike the forces of other neutral or unaligned states. Neither are we members of a common defence. This is a totally unacceptable position and one that deserves proper debate and consideration, not the bandying about of clichés.
PANA seems to think "military" is a dirty word. The military forces of this State serve the country well and have a proud international record as peacekeepers, and now peace enforcers.
Since PANA opposed all recent treaties it is extraordinary that it does not know that the wording repeated in Lisbon was contained in them too.
- Yours, etc,
GAY MITCHELL MEP, Fine Gael campaign director for Lisbon Treaty, Dublin 2.