The Nice Treaty makes only limited changes to the existing provisions of the EU's Common Foreign and Security Policy, Minister of State Ms Liz O'Donnell told the House.

She was responding to Mr John Gormley (Green, Dublin South East) who found it curious that the Government continued to insist that Ireland was neutral, whereas the Finns and the Swedes described themselves as "non-aligned" and not "neutral".

The development of the EU Security and Defence Policy was based on the provisions of the Amsterdam Treaty "contrary to the impression that has been conveyed in some quarters". It had already been agreed by the Irish people. "It does not affect Ireland's policy of military neutrality. Our participation is only to be in any crisis management mission and that remains to be decided by sovereign decision of the Government, subject to Oireachtas approval on a case by case basis."

Ireland would take part only in missions authorised by the United Nations, she said. "That is clear and unambiguous."

The Government was anxious that "people should come out and articulate positive support for the European ideal", Ms O'Donnell added.

She was replying to Mr Jim O'Keeffe, Fine Gael foreign affairs spokesman, who asked whether she was concerned about the dangers of a low turnout in the forthcoming referendum on the Nice Treaty.