GOVERNMENT MINISTERS HAVE insisted this week that any Irish response to the Paris terror attacks will not compromise our longstanding policy of military neutrality.
Ireland is one of six EU countries that are not members of Nato, and any Irish peacekeeping mission has to be approved by the Dáil, cabinet and UN Security Council.
But Irish neutrality has been called into question after the French government on Tuesday invoked article 42.7 of the Lisbon treaty, a mutual defence clause that directs EU member states to provide aid and assistance in the event that another member is attacked.
Two days later, Taoiseach Enda Kenny confirmed that Irish peacekeeping troops may be sent to Mali or south Lebanon to take over from French soldiers being sent to fight the Islamic State group.
While government officials say the move would not affect Irish neutrality, concerns have been raised that relieving French forces could put the policy at risk.
This morning, we’re asking: Should Ireland change its position on neutrality?
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