Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

First, I would not like to give the impression that Irish defence capacity is not in line with international standards in the areas where we operate, because it is. Training and fitness levels in the Irish Defence Forces benchmark really well with international standards. Looking at the capacity for Ireland in peacekeeping operations, for example, we are as good as if not better than any other country in terms of our experience and what we bring to many of those missions, whether in the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon, UNIFIL, the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force, UNDOF, Mali, Sierra Leone, or wherever we are. We are very good at what we do.

The issue is whether to change perspective from the 2000 White Paper on Defence, which limits our capacity in certain areas, to respond to what has happened since 2000 regarding international security concerns and issues. Cybersecurity is one obvious area that has been raised today. Migration is another area, and we have to ensure that we have a comprehensive security risk assessment, which will then be the basis for deciding how we respond in the White Paper.

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