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

Similar to the previous Deputies, I object in the strongest terms to the way this matter has appeared on the schedule for this week. As has been noted, there was no discussion about it in any shape or form at last week's meeting of the Business Committee. Deputy Seán Crowe and I discussed it as a Topical Issue only a few weeks ago when it was indicated that the Government might sign up to it and that it was aware of the deadlines. All of a sudden, it appeared on the schedule for discussion on Thursday. The proposal is that we have two hours in which to make a decision.

We are to be given only two hours to debate an EU proposal that would lead to a major shift in Irish foreign, defence and financial policy. It has not been discussed in committee and has been subject to no scrutiny in the newspapers or by the public generally. Two hours is way too short a timeframe to deal with the implications of such a significant move and it behoves us to ensure adequate time is allocated. Indeed the proposal should have gone beyond this House. It certainly should, at the very least, have been discussed at committee.

As I understand it, the detail of the proposal has not been circulated to any Member. All we have been told is that the EU proposals for permanent structured defence co-operation are to be discussed for two hours this Thursday. That is a disgrace given the huge commitments involved. We are talking about a requirement, very shortly after signing up to the agreement, for a threefold increase in defence spending. Given the other crises we are facing-----

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