Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I know, but equally there have been statements from certain actors - not from Senator Higgins - who have turned the absence of inspections into a kind of confirmation that a lot of these planes are flying over Ireland. They are not, from what we can make out.

We need to have perspective when it comes to co-operation at EU level on the issue of military defence policy. We must have balance here. We are one of 27 member states. We cannot expect all of them to suspend their view on life, and their view on their security needs as they see them within their own democracies, on account of our specific policy. There is a challenge there. We can ask for Ireland's specific characteristic policy to be respected in the EU policies that are defined from time to time, like the strategic compass or other particular initiatives. That is how we approach initiatives on this front, particularly in terms of the non-legal dimension of the Ukrainian package, for example. The war in Ukraine has created a security atmosphere around Europe now.

There is a sense of vulnerability regarding what would happen if Russia was to go further. At the outset of the war in Ukraine, there was huge existential fear in Germany, leading to the Zeitwende, the massive change in defence policy. The sense in Germany is that it is ill-equipped and is not investing enough in its own defence.

As a result of the Holocaust, whether we agree or disagree, it is the reality of German politics that they see a unique relationship with Israel and the protection of Israel. They say this repeatedly. I do not agree with them entirely. Obviously, the position of Germany----