Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)

Fair enough. If the issue has not been addressed at the most recent meeting, maybe the Taoiseach will explain it to us, given the real concerns of Members. Will it be on the agenda of a future meeting of the European Council? Will the Taoiseach seek to address it in the context of these abuses?

Did the European Council discuss or will it address the proposed use of EU battle groups, to which this Government has now clearly committed itself, clearly against our stated policy of neutrality? Does the Taoiseach agree this merits serious address at the European Council meeting, not least in the context of the statement by the Secretary General of NATO, Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, regarding what the battle groups represented to him? Let there be no mistake that this issue merits very serious address. Has the Taoiseach raised the issues concerning the services directive and the battle groups or engaged thereon with others in attendance at the European Council meeting?

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