Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I propose to take Questions Nos. 4 and 5 together.

Ireland’s first White Paper on Defence was published in 2000. In the intervening period there have been significant changes in the defence and security environment with the emergence of new and complex security challenges. In that context, the Government decided that there is a requirement to prepare a new White Paper on Defence. In order to engender wider engagement in the development of a new White Paper on Defence, my colleague, the Minister for Defence, initiated the preparation of a Green Paper on Defence. Following Government approval, the Minister was very pleased to publish the Green Paper on Tuesday, 16 July 2013. The purpose of the Green Paper is to inform and encourage members of the public and other interested parties to consider and submit their views, which will be taken into consideration in the preparation of a new White Paper on Defence. The Green Paper contains a comprehensive overview of our current defence policy framework and the changes that have taken place since the publication of the first White Paper on Defence. It also includes an assessment of future challenges in the defence and security environment.

A broad range of issues must be examined in developing a new White Paper on Defence. For example, we must consider the types of capabilities that should be maintained having regard to likely future operational requirements and available resources. We must reflect on our approach to collective security co-operation to ensure that it will continue to meet emerging requirements. This will be determined against the backdrop of our policy of military neutrality, our membership of the United Nations, our participation in the EU's Common Security and Defence Policy and our long tradition of international peacekeeping. In that context, the Green Paper sets out a number of focused policy questions to aid submissions.

The Green Paper does not aim to be prescriptive. It seeks to encourage active consideration of defence matters and to elicit views as to how we should address defence and security challenges in the coming years. Details on how members of the public and other interested parties can submit their views are set out in the Green Paper. The Minister is confident that this consultative process will better inform the development of the new White Paper on Defence. It is anticipated that the latter will be submitted to Government for approval by mid-2014.

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