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

This issue is of such importance that a further debate should have been held in the House to outline the full extent of the programme before anybody proceeded to support such an initiative which is contrary to all of the aims of the European Union which was in receipt of the Nobel peace prize which was bizarre at the time. That it is now lining up to spend €3.5 billion on military research and development is a disgrace. The character at the time was Commissioner Michel Barnier, a French Commissioner who had replaced Charlie McCreevy. He has continued in the role of trying to promote the diversion of money away from poverty eradication and social services and building the European Union towards creating an arms industry which would benefit NATO. What was said about this originally was that it must be autonomous, while showing solidarity, in particular, with the Atlantic alliance. It is jumping to the tune of NATO and probably falls into line with what the new US President would have the European Union do.

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