Thomas Pringle (Donegal, Independent) | Oireachtas source

On behalf of the Independents 4 Change group, I express our sympathies to the people of Turkey after the horrific terrorist attack at Istanbul airport last night.

This week's European Council summit has been dominated by the fallout from the Brexit vote, but very important issues were also being discussed, which I believe also contributed to the vote result in the UK for many people, and that is the ongoing militarisation of the European Union, something it seems the Government is happy to participate in despite that the majority of Irish people, when asked, support the protection of our neutrality in our Constitution, but then the Government would not dare ask them officially because it would not get the answer it would like.

The Council has not only been attended by the Taoiseach, Deputy Enda Kenny, but the Secretary General of NATO, Jens Stoltenberg, to receive the European global strategy on foreign and security policy from the High Representative, Federica Mogherini. The strategy states that Europeans must be better equipped, trained and organised to act autonomously if and when necessary.

It goes on to say that we must develop the capacity for a rapid response including by tackling the procedural, financial and political obstacles which prevent the deployment of the battle groups, hamper fourth generation and reduce the effectiveness of military operations. According to Ms Mogherini, defence co-operation must become the norm within Europe. The document stops short of the creation of a European army, but says the EU should systematically encourage defence co-operation and strive to create a solid European defence industry.

This document comes very quickly after NATO played war games in Poland, modelling an attack on Russia which even included potential nuclear strikes according to some reports. It is intended that in the coming days the President of the European Council and NATO will sign a pact in Warsaw at the weekend. That is a pact he will be signing on our behalf. How will the Government protect our neutrality as the majority of the Irish people want? Did the Taoiseach remain at the European Council meeting while it met with the Secretary General of NATO and, if so, why?

See this speech in context