Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

As the Deputy knows, we are part of the European Union, something to which his party is opposed. We engage in the Common Security and Defence Policy, with which his party disagrees. We will continue to participate as we do, which is to the benefit of our Defence Forces. We will continue to make a contribution. It is always interesting that the Deputy knows what the majority of the Irish people think on these issues. I can tell the Deputy that in the context of the role battle groups have played, what they have done and our engagement in them has ensured that our Defence Forces reach a particularly high level of training that is important to them and assists them when they are engaged in UN sanctioned missions, and there is no intention of changing the approach.

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