Billy Timmins (Wicklow, Fine Gael)

——as countries pool their human, research and equipment resources. Rather than have the Irish invest X in its communications equipment and the French and the British the same, let each country choose a speciality and put the money into that in order that we do not replicate the spend. That is the purpose of the European Defence Agency. We have to evolve. It would be fantastic if we could live in a world where one did not have to have a force. It is important that we do to protect our values and to assist wherever we can.

It is important we progressively improve our military capability and that this does not necessarily result in increased expenditure. It is important we spend enough to ensure our people can go out and protect themselves and do the job they are supposed to do.

It is completely off the wall that the issue of neutrality is being raised in the Lisbon treaty, or the erosion of our neutrality or joining the EU battle groups. It is completely irrelevant to it and has nothing whatsoever to do with it. In time, I would like a debate in this country on the issue in order that we could flesh it out. I am sure there are Members from all sides who have varying views on the issue.

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