Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

The Minister of State and I will probably differ on this. We have differed over the years when there have been votes on it in this House. Can the Minister of State see the logic that interoperability suggests increased funding? As we are the poor cousin, in terms of military equipment, the demand by NATO's Partnership for Peace, the EU battle groups and the European Defence Agency is to increase the capability of the Defence Forces. Interoperability brings with it a significant cost to the taxpayer which is covered up whenever one talks about it. It is obscene. Rather than continuing with this, it is appropriate that the Government withdraw from the Partnership for Peace. If the Minister of State is going to the NATO summit, he should indicate our refusal to continue to co-operate in spending on increasing our capability when we are a neutral state.

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