Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

There is extreme concern. I do not know whether I am at odds with myself on this issue. One hears about discussions on the future of Europe, but it is senior members of the Commission who are talking about and forcing this agenda. They are non-elected members; they are appointed officials, yet they seem to be the ones who are driving this change. I would like to know where is the Council of Ministers in all of this? Who gives Mr. Juncker or anybody in a similar position the right to stand up and say this is European policy? He is a paid official of the European Commission. Therefore, with the greatest of respect, Irish Ministers should say: "Hold on a second - this does not apply to us, as Ireland is a neutral country." We should not have to come to the Oireachtas and defend our neutrality among ourselves. It is time we put a stop to this. If the people were to vote in favour of joining a European common defence and security arrangement, it would not be my choice, but if it was decided by way of a democratic vote, so be it. However, I do not want groups of Commissioners coming to Ireland to have a look around in the North and then tell me about it. It puts a big question mark against where we are going. The Minister of State should not have to defend himself against the points raised by Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh and which I have raised from time to time. We are not part and parcel of a European Army or anything else. We co-operate in the area of peacekeeping.