Mairéad Farrell (Galway West, Sinn Fein)

Tá leithscéalta faighte againn ón Teachta Ged Nash agus ón Teachta Timmins. Apologies have been received from Deputies Ged Nash and Edward Timmins and Senator Joe O'Reilly.

Is mian liom na riachtanaisí bunreachtúla seo a leanas a mheabhrú do chomhaltaí agus páirt á ghlacadh acu i gcruinnithe poiblí. Caithfidh comhaltaí a bheith i láthair go fisiciúil laistigh de theorainn Theach Laighean. Ní cheadóidh mé do chomhaltaí labhairt ag cruinnithe poiblí nuair nach bhfuil siad ag cloí leis an riachtanas bunreachtúil seo. Mar sin, má dhéanann aon chomhalta iarracht páirt a ghlacadh ó lasmuigh den suíomh, iarrfaidh mé orthu an cruinniú a fhágáil. Maidir leis seo, iarraim ar chomhaltaí a dheimhniú go bhfuil siad i láthair laistigh de phurláin Theach Laighean sula ndéanann siad aon ionchur ar an gcruinniú ar MS Teams. Fíoraítear do chomhaltaí cleachtadh Parlaiminte a urramú nár chóir más féidir daoine ná eintiteas a cháineadh ná líomhaintí a dhéanamh ina n-aghaidh ná tuairimí a thabhairt maidir leo ina ainm, ina hainm nó ina n-ainm ar shlí go bhféadfaí iad a aithint. Chomh maith leis sin, fiafraítear dóibh gan aon rud a rá a d'fhéadfaí breathnú air mar ábhar díobhálach do dhea-chlú aon duine nó eintiteas. Mar sin, dá bhféadfaí ráiteas a bheith clúmhillteach do dhuine nó eintiteas aitheanta, ordóidh mé don duine éirí as an ráiteas láithreach. Tá sé ríthábhachtach go ngéilleadh comhaltaí don ordú sin láithreach.

I advise members of the constitutional requirement that members must be physically present within the confines of the Leinster House complex in order to participate in public meetings. I will not permit a member to participate where they are not adhering to this constitutional requirement. Therefore, a member who attempts to participate from outside the precincts will be asked to leave the meeting. In this regard, I ask any member partaking via Microsoft Teams that prior to making their contribution to the meeting, they confirm they are on the grounds of the Leinster House campus. Members are reminded of the long-standing parliamentary practice that they should not criticise or make charges against any person or entity by name or in such a way as to make him, her or it identifiable, or otherwise engage in speech that might be regarded as damaging to the good name of the person or entity. Therefore, if their statements are potentially defamatory in relation to an identifiable person or entity, they will be directed to discontinue their remarks. It is imperative they comply with any such direction.

The joint committee is meeting today to discuss two legislative proposals from the EU. The first of the proposals is COM (2025) 122, which is a proposal for a Council regulation establishing the security action for Europe, or SAFE, through the reinforcement of the European defence industry instrument. The Commission has presented the ReArm Europe Plan, or Readiness 2030, which is structured around five pillars. The SAFE regulation under discussion today represents one pillar of the plan and seeks to provide a new EU financial instrument to raise up to €150 billion in capital markets to support and accelerate national investments.

The second proposal under discussion today is COM (2025) 123, which is a regulation amending Regulations (EU) 2021/1058, European Regional Development Fund and the Cohesion Fund, and (EU) 2021/1056, the just transition fund, JTF, as regards specific measures to address strategic challenges in the context of the mid-term review. The EU's investment policy covers a range of programmes that seek to support job creation, competitiveness, economic growth, sustainability, sustainable development and improvements to quality of life. Cohesion policy is delivered through four specific funds, the European Regional Development Fund, ERDF, the Cohesion Fund, the European Social Fund Plus, ESF+, and the just transition fund.

The legal framework for the cohesion policy programmes provides for a mid-term review in 2025, allowing member states the option to redirect resources from the 2021-27 period towards investments in areas considered by the Commission as key priorities. To this end, the Commission has proposed targeted amendments that seek to use the mid-term review of cohesion policies to priorities of the Union. Specific objectives of the proposals include extension of the ERDF to large companies in areas such as defence, strategic technologies and decarbonisation. The regulation would also create two new specific objectives within the scope of the ERDF to support defence, with the first allowing for reprogramming of funds to enhance productive capacities in defence enterprises while enhancing the military mobility in the EU. A number of concerns arise with these regulations and upon initial considerations of these proposals, the joint committee opened a call for submissions from interested parties.

A large number of responses were received and among those submissions a common theme emerges with regard to concerns about the move towards directing funds to military and defence spending. Issues arise with regard to the interaction of these proposals with national legislation and Ireland's stance of military neutrality. Furthermore, there are environmental implications associated with increases in defence and military action and it is necessary to consider the potential impact of these regulations in the context of climate change and environmental needs.

In this context, I welcome to the meeting Ellie Kinney of the Conflict and Environment Observatory and Niamh Ní Bhriain of the Transnational Institute. Go raibh míle maith agaibh as teacht os comhair an choiste. I invite Ms Kinney to make her opening statement.