Seán Haughey (Dublin Bay North, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The EU has been the biggest peace process attempted in recent history. It has ensured peace, stability and progress in Europe since World War II. We need to put this debate in context and consider our overall commitment to the European Union. Brexit is the biggest issue facing this country. There is to be a major summit of the European Council next week. We need to recognise the firm support of the heads of the other EU states for Ireland's position. We hope there will be a successful outcome from the Irish point of view from that meeting.

A debate is under way on the future of Europe. The Commission has put forward five options and President Macron of France has made a speech and Jean-Claude Juncker, the Commission President, gave a state of the union address. Some say there is a lack of debate but there is a public consultation process about the future of the European Union and everybody needs to get involved in that. We need to state that Ireland remains a fully committed member of the EU and wants to be central to the debate on the future of the EU.

Non-governmental organisations have put forward a sixth option which emphasises environmental and social issues. Ireland should give serious consideration to that. The UK leaving the EU has brought the Franco-German access to the fore again. President Macron has outlined his vision for the future of Europe. He called for a more sovereign, unified and democratic EU and for the re-foundation of Europe. He called for several other measures too. As a small nation state we do not agree with all of those but we should have the confidence to play our part in this debate in the interests of our common future.

I am a firm believer in Ireland's traditional policy of military neutrality which is not just the avoidance of military alliances but the promotion of peace, justice and basic human rights. We are respected for that. Our UN mandate with regard to peacekeeping and peace enforcement is very well respected. We were not colonisers. The developing countries in particular recognise our position which allows us to punch above our weight in global affairs.

Reference has been made to Éamon de Valera turning in his grave at the position of the Fianna Fáil Party on this motion but things change and evolve. I wonder what view Seán Lemass would have taken of this issue. He was a pragmatic patriot and I think he is on the record as saying we need to move in this area from the European perspective. That should be recognised too.

PESCO was provided for in the Lisbon treaty of 2009 which Ireland ratified. New issues have emerged such as human trafficking, terrorism and cybercrime. We need to co-operate with fellow EU states on these issues. PESCO projects will include peacekeeping operations under the EU flag. All projects are voluntary. Ireland can opt in or opt out. We can take a pragmatic approach to PESCO. It will operate on the basis that the specific character of the security and defence policy of all our member states is taken into account. It is also interesting to note that three other EU neutral states have signed up to PESCO, Sweden, Austria and Finland. Many years ago at Trinity College I did a thesis on Irish neutrality. Many of these neutral countries believe in an armed neutrality. They support their neutrality by expenditure on defence and believe in the necessity of armed neutrality.

There is concern about the increase in military spending but this was provided for in the defence White Paper. We need to increase pay and replace equipment in our Defence Forces and PESCO will give us an opportunity to do much of that.

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