THE Tanaiste, Mr Spring, has been accused of deliberately dropping the proposed debate on neutrality at the Labour Party's conference on the weekend.
Mr Brian Crowley MEP (FF) said the position of the Labour Party as supporters of military neutrality was now seriously in doubt. There was a strong case to be made for Irish neutrality, but it was now clear that the Labour Party could not be trusted to present this case.
"For some time now Mr Spring has acted as political cheer leader for NATO's Partnership for Peace and has urged Irish membership of this body. He has neglected to inform the public that the rationale for the PFP is to forge a security relationship between the former eastern bloc countries and NATO. There is no good reason for Ireland to join such an organisation."