Irish participation in a future common EU defence should not be seen as a "closed issue" just because the weekend referendum introduced a constitutional bar to such participation, according to two former Fine Gael taoisigh.
Mr John Bruton and Dr Garret FitzGerald both expressed unease yesterday at the inclusion of a ban on joining a common EU defence in the Constitution. The ban was incorporated into the proposal, approved by voters on Saturday, to approve the Nice Treaty.
Dr FitzGerald said on RTÉ Radio yesterday that it had been "prudent" to include this ban in the question in an effort to have the treaty approved. However, he made it clear he did not necessarily see it as a good thing.
Mr Bruton said he believed there was a need for a common EU defence, as suggested by the late Seán Lemass when he was taoiseach. "If we were to enter into an EU defence pact we would have to have a referendum anyway," he said.
"But I regret the putting of this into the Constitution: It's like putting on a belt when you already have braces."