Bertie's backtrack

`Will we have British troops back in the Curragh, the French in Bantry Bay, the Germans on Banna Strand, the Spanish in Kinsale…

`Will we have British troops back in the Curragh, the French in Bantry Bay, the Germans on Banna Strand, the Spanish in Kinsale and the Americans in Lough Foyle?" This strange scenario was painted by the then FF leader Bertie Ahern arguing in the Dail in March 1996 against joining PfP, maintaining our neutrality and urging us to "cop on to ourselves" about joint exercises with NATO.

This week the Government agreed that we should join PfP and, with FG on side, so we will.