Press Release: Minister for Defence stresses enormous contribution of defence forces to peacekeeping and humanitarian missions in Dáil debate on Nice Treaty

The Irish Minister for Defence, Michael Smith, speaking in a debate in the House of Representatives of Ireland on 10 September 2002, emphasised that a 'yes' vote in the referendum on the Treaty of Nice on 19 October 2002, would enhance Ireland's peacekeeping and humanitarian capabilities, while its traditional neutrality remained intact.