Cathal Berry (Kildare South, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I am not sure if the Taoiseach will recall exactly where he was on this day three years ago. He was actually on the Grand Parade in Cork when he quite kindly attended the military veteran's respect and loyalty parade on 4 May. That movement was established, as the Taoiseach is aware, to highlight the very poor terms, conditions and pay for members of the Defence Forces, a phenomenon that is, unfortunately, continuing to this day. To be fair, the Taoiseach was the Leader of the Opposition at the time. He listened to the speeches and I believe that he agreed with the vast majority, if not all, of what was said. Unfortunately, fast forward three years and we are pretty much in the same place. Perhaps we are even a little worse because the Ukrainian situation has highlighted the deficiencies that were pretty much hidden in the past.

To be fair, the Government's and the State's response to the Ukrainian crisis from a humanitarian and economic perspective has been good and commendable. Unfortunately, however, there has been absolutely no appreciable improvement in the country's ability to protect itself despite what has happened in the last 70 days in eastern Europe.

Last weekend, a number of Russian aircraft incurred into Swedish and Danish airspace. Our Scandinavian cousins actually have an air policing service that could detect, intercept and escort those aircraft out of their airspace. Even more sinisterly still, a mock simulated submarine attack against Ireland was played out on Russian state television as well. Again, there is a reason for that. There was a reason why the attack was simulated from the Irish exclusive economic zone, EEZ. Everyone recognises that this country is very poorly protected and is the weak spot from an EU perspective.

To be fair, we should realise this country is militarily defenceless. We really are at the mercy of rogue states like the Russian Federation that can do with us whatever they wish. Can the Taoiseach offer any reassurance to the House that the State's inability to protect itself will be addressed in the short-term and that 100 years after us gaining our independence, we will soon be in a position to protect our territorial integrity and sovereignty?

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