Thomas Pringle (Donegal, Independent) | Oireachtas source

This motion is timely. While the motion may not in isolation appear to provide for ongoing militarisation, we must consider everything that is happening across Europe. The motion is timely given the fact that the 55th Munich security conference was held on Friday, 15 February last. More than 600 politicians, including three Heads of State and Government and more than 80 Ministers attended along with high-ranking military officials and representatives from business, science and international organisations. They met this weekend in Bavaria's capital to discuss international security and defence policy in Europe. Chillingly, the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice President of the EU Commission was quoted as saying to our "soft power" we are "finally adding ... hard power". The Franco-German treaty signed last month represented what Angela Merkel described as a step towards the creation of a future European army. The language of war is getting coarser and Europe is no longer attempting to disguise its intent. It means we are at a terrifying impasse. War is being normalised. Angela Merkel said of the Franco-German pact that it solidified the common military culture of the two countries. That military culture has been normalised by governments like that of Ireland, which participate in and legitimise military projects like PESCO using language of denial to mask the reality of the violence it is intended to inflict. The Government has allowed our own terms of neutrality and peacekeeping to be exploited in its name.

The proposal put forward today seeks further approval for Ireland to participate in military search capability building. The Minister of State has confirmed that the Defence Forces have engaged extensively in specialised military search operations dealing with unexploded ordnance, improvised explosive devices and ensuring a so-called "safe and secure operating environment for military operations." Whose are the military operations the safety of which they were ensuring? Ireland can no longer bury its head in the sand. We are already neck-deep in the common military culture as dictated by France and Germany. Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil have already signed Ireland up - the Labour Party is now part of it too I see - to become a pawn in a lucrative chess game; more so since the Brexit negotiations took place. Ireland will continue to justify and contribute to the European Defence Agency in exchange for EU support through the Brexit negotiations. Franco-German military interests want to develop their defence industries further to control EU defence policy while globally competing with US and Russian defence companies. Global security will, in turn, secure Franco-German influence at home in Europe. Let us not forget how this undermines democracy. Militarisation, EU defence integration and the overall global militarisation agenda is being pushed and shaped by private sector interests. Ireland can be sure that it will pay for the privilege financially and politically for some time to come.

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