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About LinkBacksHow has EU membership affected Irish foreign policy?
Does anyone know cus i aint got a clue, exams in three days pleaze help.
How has EU membership affected Irish foreign policy?
Does anyone know cus i aint got a clue, exams in three days pleaze help.
This is what i have so far!
A cornerstone of Irish foreign policy has been the concept of neutrality. Ireland did not participate in the Second World War. It joined the UN in 1955 and has been a member of the EU since 1973. Whilst Ireland’s foreign policy is predominantly Euro-centric, it does enjoy a special relationship with the US, due to the large Irish-American community, the US Government’s involvement in the Northern Ireland peace process and the substantial trade and investment links. Ireland is a member of NATO’s Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council and has agreed to provide forces to the European Rapid Reaction Force, but it remains opposed to joining a military alliance
Ireland’s membership of the European Union is recognised to have been extremely beneficial to the economy. Ireland’s initial rejection of the EU’s enlargement-oriented Treaty of Nice in June 2001 caused some embarrassment to the government. A second referendum was held in 2002 with 62% voting “Yes” to the Treaty. The “Yes” campaign focused on Ireland’s obligation to extend to candidate countries the same advantages that EU membership had brought Ireland. Ireland held the Presidency of the EU from January - June 2004. This period encompassed the expansion of the EU (by 10) to 25 members on 1 May 2004. A referendum on the EU Constitutional Treaty had been anticipated before mid-2006.
Can you repeat in the Autumn?
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no.
Uh oh.Originally Posted by Irish_coffee
Look, if you really want to answer a question on the EU and foreign policy, you'd be far better off ignoring the whole neutrality issue, and looking more carefully at the Common Foreign and Security Policy. Examine how the Second Pillar of the EU actually works, and how decisions are made, by and large, by consensus (although a significant factor when it comes to Ireland is the way smaller Member States are terrified of ever finding themselves isolated on any issue).
Consider how adoption common positions on foreign policy (especially in the context of multilateral organisations like the UN, the OSCE or the Council of Europe) might impact on how Ireland presents itself to the world. If Ireland wasn't an EU Member State, would it have a different position on Iraq? Or on international terrorism? Or on disarmament? Or on virtually any other major foreign policy issue?
I doubt if anyone here is going to answer the question for you, but those are the kind of things you might want to think about. Given that Ireland doesn't really have a military (and never really did, even prior to EU membership), the issue of neutrality isn't all that significant. It's a bit of a red herring, and best avoided.
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Thanks, im not looking for an answer, although that would help, just a good website to research from, I cant find anything online.
The Mission of the Department of Foreign Affairs is to advance Ireland's interests and values in the European Union and in the wider world, to promote Ireland's contribution to international peace, security and development, to protect its citizens abroad and to pursue reconciliation and partnership on the island of Ireland."
The Foreign relations of the Republic of Ireland substantially reflect the fact that it is a member of the European Union ("EU") and that, like all members of the EU, it holds the presidency for six months every twelfth year or so. It is one of the group of smaller nations in the Union.
For many years, Ireland was a member of the Non-Aligned Movement group in the United Nations ("UN") and even today tends towards independence of view in its foreign policy. Specifically, it is not a member of NATO and has a longstanding policy of military neutrality. This policy has helped the Irish Defence Forces to be successful in their contributions to UN peace-keeping missions since 1960 (in the Congo Crisis) and subsequently in Cyprus, Lebanon and Bosnia and Herzegovina. The present government has adopted a more evidently pro-US position, volunteering Shannon Airport as a stop-over point for US forces en-route to Iraq. Given the large volume of inward investment by US companies, this is perhaps understandable.
The State involved in a number of outstanding international disputes. Since the adoption of the Constitution of Ireland in 1937, the state had been involved in a dispute with the United Kingdom over the status of Northern Ireland. Articles 2 and 3 of the Republic's constitution used to claim Northern Ireland as a part of the Irish Nation, though in practice the Irish government did recognise the border. However both nations concluded the Belfast Agreement on the issue in 1998 and now co-operate closely to find a solution to the region's problems. Articles 2 and 3 were amended as part of this agreement and replaced with a statement of aspiration to unite the people of the island of Ireland and not specifically become one state.
The state is also a party to the Rockall continental shelf dispute that also involves Denmark, Iceland, and the United Kingdom. The Republic and the United Kingdom have signed a boundary agreement in the Rockall area. However, neither have concluded similar agreements with Iceland or Denmark (on behalf of the Faroe Islands) and the matter remains under negotiation. Iceland now claims [1] a substantial area of the continental shelf to the west of Ireland, to a point 49°48'N 19°00'W, which is further south than Ireland.
Yeah, you're kind of avoiding the question a bit, aren't you (assuming that the above forms part of your answer)? The question is specifically about the impact of EU membership on foreign policy, not about foreign policy in general.
You could try looking at the DFA Strategy Statement 2005-2007 and see what role the EU plays in it (including how EU membership helps/hinders Ireland from achieving wider foreign policy goals, including international aid). Take the statement with a pinch of salt, though.
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Im not answering the question there just getting some notes together. thanks for your help smiffy.
Okay, for more information on what the EU actually does in terms of external (i.e. outside the EU) relations, check these links.
External Relations
Human Rights (see especially the stuff about outside the Union).
Foreign and Security Policy
These might be of some value, although you'd have to explain the broad position compares to Ireland's specific policies on each (and that kind of stuff).
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