Gino Kenny (Dublin Mid West, People Before Profit Alliance) | Oireachtas source

I am shocked at some of the statements that the Labour Party and Fine Gael are coming out with today. We cannot dress this up any other way. This motion provides more nails for the coffin of Irish neutrality. The Minister of State spoke about the European Defence Agency in the Oireachtas Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence. To paraphrase, the Minister of State referred to a force protection programme, a chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear protection programme; enabled Defence Forces; counter improvised explosive device neutralisation manual projects; surveillance networks projects; security levels; cyberresilience; satellite communication aims for Defence Forces and international crisis management operations. I put it to the Minister of State that this does not read as a peaceful organisation. It undermines the whole basis of Irish neutrality, which is being eroded motion by motion as this goes on - as Deputy Ó Snodaigh has said. The Minister of State's party and Government seem to be very happy to go along with the militarisation of the European Union. It is measures such as this motion, PESCO and the EU status of forces agreement, SOFA, that are compromising Irish neutrality.

At a time when people seek more accountability and democracy, the European Union and the Government have given us more militarisation and conflict. This Chamber should conscientiously reject the motion because, no matter what people say, it is the precursor to the European army the EU wants. The supermarket of the European Union needs a European army. We must conscientiously object.

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