'Stealth' used to pass nuclear agreement

NUCLEAR DEAL:THE GOVERNMENT was accused of abandoning "by stealth" its long-held policy of nuclear non-proliferation.

Labour foreign affairs spokesman Michael D Higgins claimed the State had endangered "one of the most important parts of Irish foreign policy" by accepting a US-India nuclear agreement. The Galway West TD said an understanding had been agreed "many, many years ago" that "Ireland would not facilitate the emergence of a new nuclear power such as India and Pakistan".

In the Dáil yesterday, he said the Minister for Foreign Affairs would continue "talking about the threat posed by Iran", a developing nuclear power. Yet during the summer when the Dáil was not in session, the Government "by stealth" had "changed its position" and used its vote at the United Nations and "waved on" the nuclear agreement between India and the US. This created a situation where the "new nuclear reactors are not responsible to the International Atomic Energy Agency". He said the State had a "blocking vote. In other words consensus was required, at the Nuclear Suppliers Group."

Though the issue had been discussed at the Foreign Affairs committee, "through stealth when the Dáil was not in session, the Government removed the vote it had and waved on the US-India nuclear agreement". His call for a debate was ruled out and the Ceann Comhairle said he "must find another way of raising the matter".