Joe Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)

I know that the Minister has said it, but is the Government's position still that our international commitment will be confined to the Petersberg Tasks, with a UN mandate necessary? Perhaps I might quote from the Petersberg Tasks, and Missions for the EU Military Forces. Of Article 17.2 of the Treaty on European Union it states the following.

Questions referred to in this Article shall include humanitarian and rescue tasks, peacekeeping tasks and tasks of combat forces in crisis management, including peacemaking.

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