Mr. Michael Howard:

The guidance I received was that I should make an opening statement of approximately five minutes. This is the first time we have appeared before the committee, so I have approximately ten minutes of material to get through. We are genuinely delighted to be here and have the opportunity to brief the committee. I thank members for the invitation to address them today on the Department of Defence’s six monthly reports on developments in the EU during 2012, covering both the Danish and the Cypriot Presidencies.

Since the coming into force of the Lisbon treaty, the High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Catherine Ashton, conducts the Union’s common foreign and security policy, assisted by the European external action service, EEAS. The role of the EEAS is to support the High Representative in fulfilling her mandate and to manage the EU's response to crises. The role of the rotating Presidency is to provide additional support in fulfilling the mandates laid down while at the same time progressing its own priorities in consultation with other member states.

The EU’scommon security and defence policy, CSDP, forms an integral part of the Union’s common foreign and security policy, CFSP. CSDP’s primary function is to provide the Union with an operational capacity to undertake peacekeeping and crisis management missions outside the territory of the member states. In addition to military tasks, there is a significant civilian and humanitarian dimension. The EU is now a major player on the world stage with an increasing capacity to influence the international security agenda through a “comprehensive approach” using the instruments at its disposal, including economic, diplomatic, political and military instruments. Further progress was made during 2012 in the areas of EU crisis management operations, EU civilian and military capabilities development, battle groups, partnerships with other organisations and the European Defence Agency.

The most visible example of the impact of CSDP is EU peacekeeping and crisis management operations. A key priority of the High Representative, of the EU and also of Ireland’s Presidency of the Council of the European Unionis to ensure the continued success of these missions and preparing for new missions. As an example, recently during Ireland’s Presidency, the EU Council agreed to the establishment of the EU training mission in Mali. Sixteen missions and operations were undertaken during 2012, of which three were military operations and 13 were civilian missions. These took place across three continents, with seven in Africa, four in the western Balkans, one in Asia, three in the Middle East and one in the south Caucasus.

The three military operations in 2012 were Operation ALTHEA in Bosnia and Herzegovina; Operation Atalanta, the anti-piracy mission off the coast of Somalia; and the EU training mission, EUTM, in Somalia, which is involved in training Somali security forces in Uganda. Ireland is currently participating in two of these operations – Operation ALTHEA and EUTM Somalia – and we deployed to EUTM Mali in March 2013. EU member states have continually praised the success of the EUTM Somalia mission and, in particular, the work carried out by the mission commander, Colonel Michael Beary. Brigadier General Gerald Aherne, another Irish officer, has recently replaced Colonel Beary as the mission begins its third mandate and is charged with moving training from Uganda to Mogadishu. This mission is now being used as a blueprint for other training missions, particularly in Mali, due to its outstanding success.

As I have mentioned, EUTM Mali has been established during our Presidency. This is intended to improve the military capacity of the Malian armed forces to allow, under civilian authority, the restoration of the country's territorial integrity. It is an integral part of the EU's comprehensive approach to the situation in Mali and the Sahel. It is providing military training as well as training and advice on specific areas such as command and control, human resources, international humanitarian law, the protection of civilians and human rights. It is not involved in combat operations and Ireland is contributing eight personnel as part of a joint training contingent with the UK armed forces. Although Ireland and UK forces have worked together in different theatres and operations over many years, this is the first time a joint UK-Irish military contingent has been deployed on any such operation. The provision of the joint UK-Ireland contingent underlines the very positive relationship that now exists between Ireland and the UK.

One of Ireland’s priorities during our current Presidency of the Council of the European Union is the continued development of the EU’s CSDP and the comprehensive approach to crisis management. The Horn of Africa is an excellent example of the EU’s comprehensive approach. The fight against piracy in the region consists of three CSDP missions that are making a major contribution to support the efforts to bring peace, prosperity and stability to the Somali people. These missions are complementary and form a coherent, integrated package that supports the EU's strategic framework for the Horn of Africa. In the Sahel a similar approach has been taken, with the missions forming crucial elements of the EU strategy for security and development in the region. This strategy focuses on Mali, Mauritania, Niger and Algeria and covers political, humanitarian and development dimensions with a strong security component.

I will address the area of civilian and military capability developments. The priority in this area is to provide the Union with an operational capacity, drawing on civilian and military assets, which can be used on missions outside the Union. During 2012 and under the auspices of the European Defence Agency, EDA, work continued on the development of military capabilities, including identifying projects where member states can work together as part of the EDA’s pooling and sharing initiative.

Some of these initiatives are addressing the development of capabilities in the areas of maritime surveillance, network enabled capability and cyber security, just to name a few. In addition, work continued on identifying synergies between civilian and military capability development planning.

In regard to battle groups, the EU has developed the capability to deploy forces at high readiness in the event of a crisis. To date no battle group has been deployed. The reason as to why a battle group has not been deployed since the concept was established in 2007 was the subject of an in-depth analysis carried out by the Crisis Management and Planning Directorate of the European External Action Service during 2012. Battle groups have also been discussed in detail in all defence fora during our Presidency. In consultation with the EEAS and member states we are looking at ways of improving the flexibility, usability and deplorability of battle groups. This is an issue that will remain on the agenda up to and including the European Council on Defence in December 2013.

Let me emphasise that Ireland has always been a strong supporter of the UN and of UN peacekeeping. In 2012, Ireland promoted and championed a new impetus in UN co-operation at EU level which resulted in the EU publishing an action plan to enhance EU support to UN peacekeeping. This action plan has reinvigorated co-operation between the UN and the EU, including the role of the UN-EU steering committee on crisis management, originally established to advance the goals of the 2003 Joint Declaration on EU-UN co-operation in crisis management, which celebrates its tenth anniversary this year. Ireland has placed great emphasis on the issue, both in the recent past and during our Presidency.

Since Ireland currently holds the EU Presidency, I though it might be helpful if I updated the committee on current developments. During our Presidency we have actively engaged with UN representatives and they have welcomed our efforts to promote UN peacekeeping among EU member states. The Under Secretary General for UN peace keeping operations, Mr. Hervé Ladsous, making his first visit to Ireland, attended the informal meeting of EU Ministers of Defence in Dublin Castle in February. Also as part of the Presidency programme, we hosted a seminar in February, which examined how we can foster more effective co-operation and build partnerships both across regional organisations, including the EU, NATO and the African Union and between these organisations and the UN, in order to enhance the effectiveness of UN mandated peacekeeping operations. Representatives from the United Nations, European Union, NATO and the African Union attended and since it took place, the Minister and the Department have received positive feedback from the participants and those who attended.

Efforts have continued between the EU and NATO to improve co-operation between both organisations. The EU and NATO have co-operated closely in regard to the development of capabilities in the areas of Counter-Improvised Explosive Devices, C-IED, medical support and also protection against chemical, biological radiological and nuclear threats, CBRN. Ireland is particularly interested in the C-IED and CBRN elements. We have also engaged with NATO representatives in regard to events during our Presidency. The NATO Secretary General, Mr. Anders Fogh Rasmussen, making his first visit to Ireland, attended the informal meeting of EU Ministers of Defence in Dublin Castle in February. Other NATO representatives have also attended the UN seminar and our seminar on Maritime Security in March.

Looking ahead, much of the focus of work in 2013 has concentrated on preparing for the European Council meeting in December 2013 which will include a thematic discussion on common security and defence policy and defence issues. The last such discussion by Heads of State and Government took place five years ago. As such this presents a significant and relatively unique opportunity to place EU defence issues centre stage and to consider the role of CSDP. Since December 2012, member states have been actively addressing this topic through a range of fora. Throughout our Presidency this subject has been a significant priority and will continue to be after our Presidency is completed.

The Irish Presidency is committed to supporting and facilitating preparations for the European Council and we will hold a seminar on the subject in Dublin Castle next week. The Department of Defence will proactively continue to support the Union in its efforts to advance the EU's Common Security and Defence Policy in order to achieve the objective of ensuring a safer and more secure Europe and a safer and more secure world.

I thank the Chairman and members for their attention. I would be pleased to answer questions.