Rose Conway-Walsh (Mayo, Sinn Fein)
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I thank the witnesses for their statements. They are adding to our knowledge all of the time. We have a job to do in terms of scrutiny of what has happened and having as much transparency for taxpayers as possible. Sinn Féin recognises EU member states’ right to provide military support to a nation that has been invaded and we fully recognise Ukraine's right to defend itself. However, I am extremely concerned about the use of the EU budget for defence and military purposes, which is prohibited under EU law, and I oppose the EU budget subsidising an arms industry that is making bumper profits, as we heard in an earlier session. It is against Irish law for taxpayers’ money to go to any company that is producing cluster munitions and I oppose that. Most of all, I oppose any taxpayers’ money being used to subsidise the arms companies that are arming Israel.

How much of Irish taxpayers’ money goes to subsidising the European arms industry through the European Defence Fund and the support of ammunition production? Is there any other avenue that the members of this committee might not be aware of? I ask that of each of the witnesses.