SINN FEIN'S MANIFESTO LAUNCH: The European Parliament elections in June will determine the future of the European Union for "many years to come", Sinn Féin has said.
Urging people to vote, the party's president, Mr Gerry Adams, said the current EU agenda is set "by the big states, the unelected Eurocracy and big business".
However, he went on: "It can be changed, and it should be changed. We have a vision for an EU that respects the democratic rights of the people."
Speaking at the launch of the party's European election manifesto in Dublin, he said: "We want an EU that promotes equality among people and nations, an EU that works for the just and peaceful resolution of conflicts in Europe and beyond."
Irish troops should not join any foreign military missions unless they have received UN approval, the party's Dublin candidate in the European elections, Ms Mary Lou McDonald, said.
"Successive EU treaties since the Single European Act in 1987 have corroded independent foreign policy to the point where Irish military neutrality is virtually all we have left.
"But Irish neutrality is now under pressure from the accelerating militarisation of the EU, which has been under way in earnest since the first reference to EU military co-operation and common defence appeared in the Maastricht Treaty.
"Subsequent treaties have built incrementally on this. Despite all of the denials, an EU army is evolving, and the constitutional treaty under negotiation will bring us measurably closer to this," she declared.
Ms McDonald said the United States military should be barred from using Shannon Airport in all circumstances, except for troop movements during peace-time.
"We don't accept that just because the troops landing in Shannon who are going to Iraq do not carry weapons that they are not breaching our neutrality," said Ms McDonald.
"There should be no use of Irish airports, airspace, sea ports, or territorial waters for preparation for war or other armed conflict by foreign powers.
"The one issue that is coming up on the doorstep is Irish neutrality. People are deeply unhappy that the Government have undermined it," Ms McDonald said.
Ireland should enshrine neutrality in the Constitution and quit the EU's Rapid Reaction Force and NATO's Partnership for Peace, "which should have been put to referendum", she said.
Sinn Féin said it would not choose which European Parliament grouping it would join until the elections are finished and it had people elected.
"We will not ally ourselves with conservative groupings like Fianna Fáil which is part of the UEN [Europe of Nations] group, which has links with Italian fascists," said Ms McDonald.
"If we have people elected, [the party] will then take a decision on June 19th. Our European secretariat has already been in contact with people," said Mr Adams.
