Billy Timmins (Wicklow, Fine Gael)

Does the Minister agree that we, as a nation, should be able to devise our own foreign policy? By adhering to the triple lock, we are, in a strange way, making ourselves subservient to American, Chinese, Russian, French and British foreign policy. That is a weakness in this whole system. After the tsunami disaster, people clamoured to get Irish troops to go to south-east Asia. I do not know what the Minister's legal advice was and whether we needed a UN mandate to send troops. I do not believe we needed such a mandate but if we did, is it not ironic that we are subservient to so many other countries in respect of our foreign policy?

When will the subgroups considering the possibility of Irish troops joining EU battle groups report? I am concerned that people will become confused and will use the concept of joining EU battle groups, which is completely separate from the EU constitution and common defence policy. It is important the Minister brings forward proposals, whether positive or negative, long before the campaign on the EU constitution begins because these are two separate and very different issues and I would not like one to be used to blur the other.

In the event of us joining the battle groups, which I hope we will, I realise that our commitments overseas are a drain on resources and numbers. There are 10,500 members in the Defence Forces and this would take its toll. Will the Minister consider the concept of developing military-cum-civilian cells whereby, in many of the contingents operating at present, perhaps 40% of the unit could be made up of reserve Defence Forces members who have expertise in certain areas, whether fitters, drivers or medical personnel? That happens in almost all other European countries and it would make up for the shortfall in Irish personnel.

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