Mick Wallace (Wexford, Independent) | Oireachtas source

That vote does not give me any comfort given that the two largest parties in the State are both of a hawkish nature. The Minister of State is saying that the term "battle group" is unfitting. That reminds me a little of PESCO. The Government pretends when it comes to this but the Europeans do not pretend in the same way. They are a bit more open about it. They do not call it a battle group for nothing. If the truth be told, we may end up in a battle situation. The Minister of State cannot guarantee that is not possible. The Europeans admit that. In the same way, PESCO is a far more serious animal than our State wants to acknowledge.

To keep up with our gung-ho allies, Ireland will have to spend more on military technology. Our defence budget is going to increase and it will not be spent on the wages of the Defence Forces. As for the idea that being involved in a battle group is good for our Defence Forces and prepares them for peacekeeping missions, our Defence Forces already have a very high reputation in peacekeeping without ever going near a battle group. That argument does not hold water.

We do not think that Ireland should have anything to do with the military affairs of European countries which like to promote the arms industry.

It has become a self-sustaining industry. The Minister of State knows that the global military spend this year will be the highest since the start of the Cold War. It is madness.

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