Ireland's Foreign Relations in 2004

Abstract

Rees This article examines the formation and conduct of Ireland's foreign relations in 2004. It considers the international, European and domestic context in which these activities took place. The roles of the executive and the Oireachtas in the formation of Irish foreign policy are considered, as are the government's response to various international events. Ireland's EU presidency is examined, and the Dutch presidency is also considered. In particular, Ireland's successful management of the intergovernmental conference is discussed. Key developments in relation to enlargement of the Union, the Lisbon agenda and justice and home affairs, and the EU's broader external relations, are also explored. Ireland's participation in the UN, especially in the context of the country's coordinating role as the chair of the EU presidency, and its responses to a number of conflicts in the Middle East and Africa are reviewed. The broader Irish contribution to the UN is also assessed, in terms of participation in forums such as the UN Commission on Human Rights, the disarmament debate and peacekeeping programmes. Finally, closer to home, events in Northern Ireland and Anglo-Irish relations are reviewed.