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

I think we are heading towards a conclusion now. The witnesses have dealt with the issues as put forward. It only remains for me to thank them for their frankness, the direct nature of their presentation and their answers. On behalf of the committee, I offer our good wishes to them for the remarkable level of professional service shown last week off our south coast in very difficult and challenging circumstances. For the people, it was a display of everything that is positive and good about our Defence Forces. It should reinforce the need for defence matters to move up the agenda. We know the history and the fact we do not have a full-time, stand-alone Minister for Defence. It has been proposed here by Deputy Berry and I support that. It is something this committee would support because there is no doubt defence and security architecture changed fundamentally in February 2022. For Europe, it was a 9/11 moment when Russia unlawfully and unacceptably invaded a European country. That was a wake-up call for all our EU colleagues and ourselves.

There is often a feeling that Ireland is immune to any requirement or necessity to have Defence Forces that are more capable and incentivised to secure our waters and airspace and, as Deputy Carthy said, for our own people's security. It is essential these issues of defence have a greater level of discourse across government. We, as the defence committee, have a duty in that regard.