Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees
Thursday, 8 March 2018
Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence
Estimates for Public Services 2018
Vote 27 - International Co-operation (Revised)
Vote 28 - Foreign Affairs and Trade (Revised)
2:00 pm
Seán Crowe (Dublin South West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source
I was going to ask about the increase in pay, but it has been indicated that this programme has to do with Brexit. As section B.3 relates to the treaty, does it cover the issue of Ireland's involvement in the Permanent Structured Co-operation, PESCO, arrangement? In section B.4 there is a 185% increase in spending compared with the figure for 2017. Supposedly, it is to inform and engage Irish citizens more with the European Union. Will the Tánaiste expand on that aspect? Is there a concern that people have become disenchanted with the European Union. Will the money be spent on glossy brochures about the Union and so on? On what will the money be spent?
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