Fine Gael has published a new Bill proposing amendments to the Defence Acts to allow Irish troops to take part in EU peace missions, even when those missions have not received the formal sanction of a UN resolution.
However, the Bill requires that any deployment be in accord with the spirit of the UN Charter.
It is not yet clear when Fine Gael will bring the International Peace Missions Bill before the Dáil.
However the Bill is certain to be opposed by the Government and by the other parties in Opposition, who all support specific UN sanction for any peace mission before Irish troops would become involved.
