Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy for those questions. Obviously, security is a central issue of serious concern to the European Union as a whole and we need to respond to that in a coherent and pragmatic way, using the full range of tools - diplomatic, economic development, peace support, etc. - available. Strengthening the EU's peacekeeping capacity and support of the United Nations will be an integral part of the effort to support international peace and security and that will be done through the further development of the common security and defence policy, as defined in the European Union treaties. We contribute actively to that, including commanding EU operations in Chad and Somalia, and we are prepared to engage in further development of this in support of international peace and security, as provided for under the European Union treaties.

At the Bratislava meeting on 16 September, the Heads of State and Government of the 27 member states held a broad debate on the key priorities for the coming months. The President of the European Council and the President of the Council of the European Commission proposed a programme known as the Bratislava roadmap and that addressed several areas, including security and defence. Obviously, security and defence will be discussed in the context of the EU global strategy in the coming months. That strategy on foreign and security policy recognises the need to invest more in conflict resolution and to tackle the root causes of instability. We discussed this yesterday to some degree in respect of the catastrophe unfolding before our eyes in Aleppo. What will be involved here will be a mix of coherent EU policies to support international peace and economic development and to help build state and societal capacity on the rule of law, human rights and governance. Strengthening the EU's peacekeeping capacity in support of the UN will be an integral part of that. This will be done through the further development of the common security and defence policy, as defined in the EU treaties.

There are different views among the 28 member states on how to progress the security and defence aspect of European defence. Ireland, along with a number of other member states, favours practical co-operation in support of international peace and security in crisis management. There is a general understanding that to be effective in this and to deliver a proper response to different crises, we need to make progress across all elements of that global strategy and not just in the area of security and defence.

Suggestions have been made about a proposal that has been around for some time that the EU should establish a joint operational headquarters to support the planning and conduct of its civil and military operations. A permanent joint civil military operational headquarters, appropriately configured, could potentially deliver a more effective and responsive common security and defence policy operations in support of UN and international peace and security, a position which this country supports. However, this is a matter for the EU members states, including Ireland, and it is a matter that will be considered in the context of the implementation plan for the recently published EU global strategy for foreign and security policy, and we will participate fully in that.

There are no suggestions for a European army. The Irish protocol to the Lisbon treaty clearly states that the Treaty of Lisbon does not provide for the creation of a European army.

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