Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, RISE) | Oireachtas source

The annual report speaks about the role of Ireland in the world. I would like to ask the Taoiseach whether the role he envisages is one of allying with and participating in NATO. I ask the Taoiseach whether the Irish Government participated in the fifth meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group, which took place at the Ramstein US air base in Germany, which also happens to be where the NATO military headquarters are based. After the meeting, the US Secretary of Defense said, “I am extremely proud of the progress on the discussion to intensify our efforts to support Ukraine and strengthen our NATO alliance.” He was speaking there about the 50 countries that attended. To be clear, and we have been clear and consistent throughout, we are absolutely opposed to Putin's imperialist invasion of Ukraine. We are also opposed to the attempt to use that horrific invasion to drive militarisation, to undermine what is left of neutrality here and to try to rebuild the idea of joining NATO. It is clear from that approach by US Secretary of Defense that that is the aim and that is what is happening here. Did the Irish Government participate?

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