Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The White Paper on Defence clearly states there will be ongoing investment in the Defence Forces. I have stated this on numerous occasions, here in the Chamber last week, before the select committee last Wednesday evening and in replies to parliamentary questions over the past 12 to 18 months. PESCO is provided for in the Treaty on European Union in Articles 42.6 and 46 and Protocol 10, which were introduced by the Lisbon treaty. PESCO was comprehensively discussed in the context of the Lisbon treaty, which was approved by the Irish people by referendum in October 2009. It is not the case that PESCO just appeared in this House last week. It has been debated at European level, it has been debated here at national level as part of the Lisbon treaty. I have heard some outrageous comments about us entering a European army, that we are giving away our sovereignty on neutrality. It could not be further from the truth.

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