Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The following motion was placed on the Order Paper of Dáil Éireann and referred to the select committee:

That Dáil Éireann approve Ireland's participation in two European Defence Agency projects – (1) Joint Procurement Arrangement for EU SatCom Market and (2) European Centre for Manual Neutralisation Capabilities, ECMAN, pursuant to section 2 of the Defence (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009.

In commending the motion I will briefly outline the function of the European Defence Agency and the background to the programmes in which Ireland wishes to participate. The European Defence Agency was established by a joint action of the Council of the European Union in 2004 "to support the Member States and the Council in their effort to improve European defence capabilities in the field of crisis management and to sustain the European Security and Defence Policy as it stands now and develops in the future". On 6 July 2004 the Government approved Ireland's participation in the framework of the agency.

The European Defence Agency is an agency of the European Union and composed of the Defence Ministers of the 27 participating member states and the European Commission. Ireland participates in the framework of the agency and contributes in the region of €400,000 to the annual cost of running it, including the cost of its annual work programme. The agency is focused on assisting member states in capability development, obtaining better value for existing spending levels, improving competitiveness and securing greater efficiency, particularly in the areas of research, technology and procurement of defence capabilities.

The primary reason for Ireland's participation in the European Defence Agency is to support the development of Defence Forces capabilities for peacekeeping and international crisis management operations. The Defence (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009 regulates Ireland's participation in the agency's ad hocprojects. It prescribes that participation in category A projects, category B projects or programmes is subject to Government and Dáil approval. A category A project is where all member states join, unless they specifically opt out, while a category B project is where two or more member states come together to pursue a particular initiative.

I will now give a brief outline of Ireland's involvement in EDA projects to date. Following Government and Dáil approval, Ireland has participated or is participating in the following areas: a programme on force protection that involved measures to protect military forces engaged in operational activities; a programme related to chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear protection; projects in the area of maritime surveillance and networking; a project focused on counter improvised explosive devices manual neutralisation techniques; and a project concerning co-operation on cyber-ranges in the European Union, the aim of which is to maintain and improve cyber-resilience, in addition to the levels of awareness, insight and expertise of member states' personnel.

The proposal brought forward by me today is to seek approval for Ireland to participate in two EDA projects - one in the area of satellite communications and the other in the area of manual neutralisation capabilities.

With regard to the joint procurement arrangement for the EU SatCom market, the aim is to provide commercially available satellite communications – fixed and mobile – in addition to related services through the establishment of one or more framework agreements on behalf of the contributing members, to promote ease of access and improve efficiency. Access to the SatCom procurement project is open to the European Defence Agency's participating member states, EU entities and certain third parties.

The provision of strategic satellite services is an essential prerequisite for the major deployment of troops overseas and in support of other major operations. It is vital that the Defence Forces maintain appropriate systems and procedures for the provision of strategic satellite services efficiently and potentially at short notice. The project represents an opportunity to procure satellite services in an efficient, cost-effective and timely manner through the achievement of potential economies of scale with pooled demand across EU member states and institutions.

Satellite services play a critical role in enabling the Defence Forces to access reliable communications services anywhere and at any time. When deployed on operations overseas, the Defence Forces utilise strategic satellite services as their primary system for providing communication links both in the field and back to Defence Forces headquarters. In that regard, I refer to satellite communications supports location and GPS services in battlefield systems; Defence Forces command and control systems; desk to desk dialling; video conferencing; Defence Forces Intranet access; access to strategic applications, including Defence Forces personnel and inventory management systems; and access to welfare support services such as Internet access and home phone facilities for personnel. The primary communications channel to Naval Service vessels on operational deployments is also via satellite which also supports its maritime surveillance systems.

In addition to the potential cost savings, participation in the project would provide the Defence Forces with security of supply and backup in the event of any failure on the part of the current supplier or an urgent operational requirement that cannot be met under the current contract.

I will now give some detail on the second EDA project. The ECMAN category B project is a follow-on activity of the European Defence Agency's category B programme on manual neutralisation techniques, MNT, courses and exercise programmes. Ireland's participation in the programme was approved in 2013 and the project will finish in 2018. The aim of the follow-on project is to continue to develop manual neutralisation capabilities to the highest standards so as to retain capacity in dealing with improvised explosive devices, IEDs, when it is not possible to destroy or disrupt a device through other means. The follow-on project will provide personnel with access to a training system designed to continuously update and improve the safety of explosive ordnance disposal personnel operating in an extreme environment. It also enables those already qualified in manual neutralisation techniques courses and exercise programmes through previous participation to maintain skill levels through an efficient re-licensing arrangement linked with refresher courses. Officers trained in manual neutralisation techniques enable the ordnance corps to guarantee continuous support for the explosive ordnance disposal and chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear improvised device disposal teams. Participation in the programme will deliver the essential number of personnel to meet requirements over time. This capability is highly specialised and unavailable elsewhere owing to its highly sensitive and classified nature and mainly developed as part of multinational framework arrangements.

Manual neutralisation capability is required in situations where the operational environment determines that the risk of causing a device to detonate – for example, a controlled explosion – is unacceptable. In addition, recovering devices intact can have a profound effect on investigations where even the smallest piece of evidence such as DNA on a piece of adhesive tape inside an improvised explosive device or the use of particular components can help to identify the perpetrator or terrorist group involved. Explosive disruptors are no longer the weapon of choice in such incidents. Manual neutralisation techniques training is also important when dealing with chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear defencetype incidents such as those using ricin and other white powder events.

On the financial aspects, there are no costs to the Exchequer arising from participation in the EU SatCom market project. Costs will arise only if the service is availed of on a pay-per-use basis.

In respect of the second project, the European Centre for Manual Neutralisation Capabilities, ECMAN, the cost to the Exchequer for Ireland's participation is €75,000 per year for each of the six years of the programme - a total of €450,000 over the lifetime of the project. The costs will be met from within existing resources.

In conclusion, Ireland's participation in the European Defence Agency affords us the opportunity to keep abreast of best practice and new developments in the defence environment, particularly as it impacts on multinational crisis management operations. The Government's White Paper on Defence published in August 2015 states that Ireland will identify opportunities to participate "in multi-national capability development projects within the framework of the EDA in support of the Defence Forces' operations, capacity and capability." The two projects discussed today are prime examples of how the Defence Forces can develop their capabilities in satellite communications and in manual neutralisation capabilities. I commend the motion to the committee.