Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Tuesday, 28 February 2023

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence

Foreign Affairs Council and Priorities for 2023: Minister for Foreign Affairs

Photo of Cathal BerryCathal Berry (Kildare South, Independent) | Oireachtas source

Yes, under Professor Gerard Bury. Remote training and in-person training has been taking place for the last number of months out there. The Irish military involvement will, therefore, be able to complement that well.

The second point is to welcome the €77 million Ireland has pledged as part of the European Peace Facility. Obviously, a lot of it has not been drawn down yet because it is pledged up to 2027. This is kind of a technical question regarding page 4 of the briefing note that was circulated. The Minister and his team may not have the answer to hand, but there is a comment approximately one third of the way down the page that this commitment would increase by an additional €45 million. Therefore, we have the €77 million already pledged and an additional €45 million. What jumps out at me is that the costs will be shared between the Department of Foreign Affairs and Department of Defence. The point I wish to make is that every euro in the defence budget is so important. If there were to be money routed through the Department of Defence, it would need to be new money.

My final point is with regard to-----

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