Charles Flanagan (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister. That is a reasonable note upon which to conclude our deliberations. Both the Taoiseach and senior Ministers, including the present Minister, have said in recent months, having regard to the context of all these debates, which is war in Europe, that we must be having a national conversation. However, while we are talking about having a national conversation, we see what is happening in other countries such as Finland and Sweden, for example. Most particularly from an Irish perspective, we should be looking very closely at what has happened in Denmark, where the Danish people have, by way of referendum, voted positively towards opting in over a range of common security and defence issues within the EU, whereas up to now the Danish people and Government have relied exclusively on NATO. These are, therefore, issues of great import and ones we will undoubtedly be coming back to at this committee, especially with reference to the report on the Defence Forces and issues mentioned by the Minister.

I thank the Minister and his officials for attending.