Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

As I indicated in my earlier reply, following last month's approval by the Government, Vice Admiral Mark Mellett, Chief of Staff of the Irish Defence Forces, was formally nominated on behalf of the Irish Government for election to the position of chair of the European Union Military Committee, EUMC. The position of chair of the EUMC will become vacant in November 2018 and Ireland's nominee, Vice Admiral Mellett, will line up for election alongside candidates from other member states.

As the Deputy will be aware, the EUMC is the highest military body within the EU and was established by a Council decision of 22 January 2001. It is composed of the chiefs of defence of member states who, on a day to day basis, are represented in Brussels by the military representativesfrom the Permanent Representations of the member states.

The EUMC operates as a consensus based collective, with the chair bringing together the views of member states and representing these to the European External Action Service, the High Representative for Foreign and Security Policy and Vice President of the Commission, and other relevant institutions, including the European Defence Agency, EDA.

The EUMC provides the Political and Security Committee, which comprises ambassadors from all 28 member states, who deal with all issues relating to the EU common foreign and security policy, CFSP, and the common security and defence policy, CSDP, with advice and recommendations on all military matters, including on all aspects of the planning and operation of the EU's CSDP operations. It also provides advice on EU military capability requirements to undertake CSDP operations and on military capability development requirements within the framework of the European Defence Agency.

Chairmanship of the EUMC has no implications for Ireland's traditional policy of military neutrality. Ireland already participates fully in the work of the committee through our military representative in Brussels and all meetings of EU chiefs of defence. The Deputy may wish to note that both Finland, from 2001 to 2004, and Sweden, from 2009 to 2012, have already held the position of chair of the EUMC as neutral countries.

Ireland is one of the strongest contributors to CSDP operations and remains committed to all aspects of CSDP and to the role CSDP can play in UN mandated peacekeeping operations. It is the case that the UN has continually stressed the important role the EU can and does play in support of international peace and security. Should Vice Admiral Mellett be successful, it would help to reinforce the existing strategic relationship between the EU and the UN.

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