Tom Kitt (Dublin South, Fianna Fail)

With regard to the requirements catalogue, it would not be appropriate for me to go into this in detail, as it is a restricted document. However, the catalogue includes a wide range of equipment to support all types of operations, from humanitarian relief, up to and including peacemaking, which of its nature may involve combat with opposing forces. Deputies will recall the situation in the Balkans where the opposing forces were effectively standing armies. In any similar scenario, the full range of combat resources and combat support elements would need to be available to a rapid response element-battle group which might be deployed in any such situation.

We can discuss the minutiae of all that is involved in these issues but the reality is that there are needs out there and, much and all as we would like it, this world is not peaceful. There are many troubled regions. I make no apology for reverting back to the situation in Liberia where the UN mission is a robust chapter 7 mandate. In some of these situations we will have to work side by side with people who have bigger and more robust equipment and are more powerful than us. In my experience, our involvement in Liberia ensured humanitarian workers and NGOs were able to go into the countryside, inoculate people and save lives. It is a very exciting prospect for the nation.

I assure the House we will get it right in regard to the triple lock. At some of these meetings, I accept we will have to work side by side with people who have an involvement with NATO. We will make sure we get it right. We will go through the process of the UN, the Government and the Dáil. That is a very important safeguard as regards the sovereignty of the nation.

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