Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister. At the press conference, Federica Mogherini spoke about how the EU defence package this year entered real implementation and of 17 projects under Permanent Structured Cooperation, PESCO, that are now up and running. Will the Minister outline Ireland's position regarding those 17 projects? Ms Mogherini also said that a number of countries had advanced ideas for new PESCO projects. Was Ireland one of those countries? Can the Minister elaborate on those projects and the ideas that were advanced? What is his opinion on the discussion regarding potential PESCO projects? Also, the multiannual financial framework was mentioned, with an explicit heading for defence, and that there will be an off-budget instrument for defence works. Can the Minister outline the position on that in an Irish context?

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