Eamon Scanlon (Sligo-Leitrim, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Minister for being here with her officials. A lot has been said over the past hour and a half. I have a few comments. I welcome the €338 million in extra funding for the Defence Forces. Everybody realises that the Defence Forces have been the poor relation over the past ten years. I welcome the extra funding. Ukraine had 1 million soldiers at its disposal to defend its borders and it is struggling to do so. If Ireland was attacked, we would need every friend we have in Europe to help us to defend our country. We look at the number of people who have been slaughtered every day during this war.

The Minister sated: "The Government has been clear that the proposed changes and the removal of triple lock will do nothing to alter or undermine Ireland's policy on military neutrality." Deputies and, I am sure, Senators are getting a lot of emails and texts in relation to this. Will the Minister expand on that? It is important that a clear message should go out to the general public that what the Minister is stating is fact and there is no threat to our neutrality.