Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour) | Oireachtas source

Any matter that impinges on defence is a matter of great sensitivity for the Members of this House and, more importantly, for the people of this country. We all engaged in a great deal of introspection immediately after the initial defeat of the referendum on the Lisbon treaty. One of the things that became evident at that time was the need for mechanisms in this House to accommodate proper debate such that people can understand proposals in full measure. Whatever one's point of view on a particular issue, there should always be facilitation of a full debate. The idea was that we would have a robust committee system in the House whereby people would be invited in to give evidence, the proceedings would be broadcast, and this House would subsequently come to an informed decision on the matter in question.

Will the Taoiseach, who is also the Minister for Defence, accept the view expressed by so many Deputies in the House today that we should have a proper committee debate on these matters? There is no rush to sign up to the proposals this side of Christmas. I understand there is a request to do so, but we may choose to postpone our signing up until after the event. We must have a proper debate, with experts invited in and cross-examined, after which the House can come to an informed decision. It would be entirely improper to sanction these proposals on the basis of a two-hour debate in which 15 minutes is allocated to each group.

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