John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)

Will the Minister comment on the declaration at the June European Council that spoke of pre-emptive action? Does he agree that battle groups should be involved in such action?

The Minister told the House that he does not believe there is justification for discussion of an embryonic European army. I put it to him that in the headline goal itself, the European Union is referred to as a global actor ready to take on the role of a global security force. That gives rise to popular suspicion that what is involved is a counterweight, as so many people put it, to the United States of America. That is what we are talking about.

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