Mick Barry (Cork North Central, Solidarity) | Oireachtas source

The context and the timing are missing from the debate. We are having this debate at precisely when in the past 24 hours there have been key statements from the French President and the German defence minister basically calling for the EU to step up its spending and its emphasis on so-called defence. In reality, this is a push for the militarisation of Europe. That is the background and the context from the past 24 hours that debates of this kind are being held in.

The Minister speaks as though he has a limited number of derogations that he can push the button on in the same way one has a limited number of chips in a poker game or something like that. There is no limit. There is no problem or particular consequence if Ireland says it will not agree to this and will not sign up to this. Whatever about the immediate practical consequences, there is an important symbolic consequence to Ireland speaking out strongly and clearly saying that we are fundamentally opposed to this militarisation that is being promoted in the past 24 hours. This is a small but significant way in which that point can and should be made.