ABSTRACT
This chapter broadens the analysis of Irish participation in European security structures to include Ireland's involvement with Western European Union (WEU) in order to demonstrate that Ireland has made a definite choice for engagement in the European Union (EU) / WEU context and that this choice does not conflict with neutrality. Neutrality may be abandoned in the context of an evolving common defence policy in the EU. The chapter examines how the neutrals have approached their participation in WEU activities. The continental neutrals consider WEU to be important, but they acknowledge that their involvement in Partnership for Peace is more important given the importance of North Atlantic Treaty Organisation for peacekeeping. The chapter argues that a combination of institutional adaptation and the advent of domestic leadership on security policy issues resulted in Ireland moving closer to WEU. It demonstrates how the status of Observer has developed in line with the EU's evolving policy on crisis management.
