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

Ireland has a proud tradition of peacekeeping and the motion allows us to further develop our role as a nation committed to promoting peace and understanding across Europe and further afield. It is equally important that the men and women of our Defence Forces have access to the very best in training, expertise and modern technology so that they are properly equipped in their duties. Our participation in the EDA is not a new development and we have been participating in and benefitting from programmes under the agency for the past decade. Participation in the EDA allows us an opportunity to develop new peacekeeping skills and to better foster relationships with fellow member states. Ireland's involvement in the EDA dates back to 2009 when the then Fianna Fáil and Green Party Government oversaw the passing of legislation following the Lisbon treaty referendum. The Defence (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009 underpins our participation in the EDA projects. Crucially the legislation states that any participation in European-wide projects such as the EDA can only be for the purpose of enhancing capabilities for UN sanctioned and mandated missions, which have a stated aim of strengthening security at an international level in accordance with the stated principles of the UN Charter.

Our involvement is also contingent on the UN missions having the stated aim of peacekeeping, crisis management and conflict prevention. The project being debated today, military search capability building, fits under all of these key headings. In addition, it is worth pointing out that any decision we take to participate in the project of the EDA is fully and completely within Ireland's control. We do not have to answer to anyone in this regard. We are in control and there is a democratic mandate from this House. Indeed, this is true in the case of all defence matters within the European Union.

It is also important to point out that participation in EDA exercises is also underpinned by the triple lock mechanism which was introduced and which was reinforced in the Defence (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009. Members will know that this means approval must be secured from the Government and the Dáil prior to any participation in UN peacekeeping missions. This mechanism further strengthens our right to opt in to and out of any missions as we deem appropriate, worthwhile or beneficial. Furthermore, involvement in this framework does not impose any minimum defence spending requirements on Ireland. All member states retain full control over defence budgets.

Along with all of this, we should consider the benefits of our participation in these peacekeeping operations. As the Minister of State has stated, eight member states intend to participate in this project. These include Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain and Sweden. We should be very proud of our 60 years of peacekeeping tradition and we should not dismiss it in this House when discussing matters of defence. In this sense Ireland is embracing and embodying the active neutrality approach I set out earlier today. Our position as a nation that is serious about playing an active peacekeeping role also provides us with opportunities to benefit ourselves. The EDA plays a key part in this aspect of our peacekeeping. It means we get to keep track of the most up-to-date and best practices in peacekeeping in the 21st century. It also gives us access to research and information on developing and maintaining professional capabilities from which we would not otherwise be able to benefit. All of this is vital in ensuring that the men and women of our Defence Forces are as prepared as they can be when partaking in these peacekeeping operations.

On the specific project being considered today, military search capability building, I am happy that it is another important peacekeeping exercise that can offer a lot of expertise to us and from which we can gain a great amount. Both at home and abroad our Defence Forces are already involved in this type of activity through engineer specialist search and clearance, ESSC, teams. Domestically, these teams are regularly deployed to assist An Garda Síochána during visits from high profile foreign leaders and international dignitaries. There are two teams operating overseas, one on a UN mission in Syria and another on a UNIFIL mission in Lebanon. On these missions they conduct route searches and clearance duties in advance of patrols. These teams are not capable of conducting searches in a variety of settings including in hazardous environments, in confined areas and in chemical, biological or nuclear environments. Participation in this training would equip our Defence Forces with the necessary skills to operate in these challenging environments and would thus address the capability gap. Our involvement in this project would also mean that those who participate in the training would be developed to instructor level, meaning that future training in this area could be managed in-house within the Defence Forces.

Fianna Fáil will be supporting this motion in keeping with Ireland's commitment to peacekeeping as a UN nation.

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