Seán Haughey (Dublin Bay North, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The Russian invasion of Ukraine has sparked a debate here about Ireland's traditional policy of military neutrality. Once again on the continent of Europe this issue is concentrating minds. In this regard I welcome the establishment by the Tánaiste of the consultative forum on international security policy. I understand that meetings are due to be held in June in Dublin, Cork and Galway as part of this initiative. It is time for a respectful debate on the security threats we face and to see whether our foreign and defence policies need to be updated in light of these ongoing developments. It is important the forum involves widespread consultation and considers all points of view.

US President Joe Biden, in his address to the Joint Houses of the Oireachtas last week, quoted John F. Kennedy when he spoke in this Chamber in 1963. He said, "Ireland pursues an independent course in foreign policy, but is not neutral between liberty and tyranny and it never will be". This quote still adequately reflects our position today. Some have suggested that President Biden in his address hinted that Ireland should consider joining the NATO military alliance. I certainly did not hear that message. From what I can see, there is no pressure from our fellow EU member states to do so either, even though Finland is now a member of NATO and Sweden has applied to join. In my view there should be no question of us joining NATO. The legal position as regards this matter is set out in a protocol to the Lisbon treaty as well as in Article 29.4.9° of Bunreacht na hÉireann and Article 42 of the Lisbon treaty which provides for a mutual assistance clause.

All this said, it is clear that we actively participate in the EU's Common Security and Defence Policy. We participate in EU battle groups and PESCO missions. We pay into the European Defence Fund. We have signed up for the strategic compass and the commitments involved in this. We have provided non-lethal support to Ukraine under the European Peace Facility. We have signed up to the EU training mission in Ukraine. It is worth remembering that at the end of the day defence remains a national competence and we can retain the power to opt in or opt out of these missions as appropriate. Our participation in the CSDP does not inhibit our ability to pursue our unique foreign-policy objectives.

President Biden last week, and Samantha Power more recently, highlighted our special efforts in the fight against global hunger. We are active participants in UN and EU peacekeeping, crisis management and conflict prevention missions. We continue to advocate for disarmament and non-proliferation. We are especially concerned about adherence to international humanitarian law and the protection of fundamental human rights. All this should contribute to be the cornerstone of our foreign and defence policies.

The Tánaiste's forum needs to take a closer look at the so-called triple lock, whereby the Cabinet and the Dáil need to give approval for the deployment of our Defence Forces overseas and any mission must be backed up by a UN Security Council resolution. We cannot have a position whereby Russia, for example, can veto our objectives at the UN Security Council. The forum should also seriously consider new threats in respect of cybersecurity, hybrid warfare and critical infrastructure, and how we should co-operate with other states that share our values to combat these threats. I wish the forum well and look forward to engaging with it.

I want to say a few words in the debate about relations between the EU and China. Last week in his Dáil address President Biden referred to the ongoing conflict between autocracies and democracies. It seems relations between the US and China are very poor at this time. Where does the EU stand in this regard? As we know, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and French President Emmanuel Macron recently met the Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing. It would appear that the EU has adopted a policy of wait and see in this regard. It has rightly called on China to use its influence with Russia to bring about a just peace in Ukraine. The EU also has concerns about Taiwan and the use of sensitive technologies among other things while it continues to strive for strategic autonomy, particularly as regards threats to our trade and economic development. In short, the EU wishes to de-risk in respect of China and that is probably the wisest policy.

Conclusion 27 of the European Council meeting is worth commenting on. It states the European Council welcomes the agreement on the Windsor Framework and looks forward to the swift implementation of all agreed solutions in good faith. It seems that after seven years the problem is very close to being resolved. The DUP has been given time and space to consider the framework and I hope it will be able to accept it as a satisfactory compromise. In any event, I also hope it will re-enter Stormont and allow the Assembly to function and the Executive to be formed as soon as possible.

President Biden's message that political stability would bring about substantial investment in the North is well made and should be given serious consideration by all concerned.

We should also note that after many years Ireland has agreed to alter its corporate tax regime. From next year, there will be a minimum effective tax rate of 15% on firms with a turnover in excess of €750 million. This arises from the new OECD agreement on this matter. How this will be implemented at global level will be crucial. It appears that the US will have difficulties in legislating for this proposal, and the question of where profits are to be taxed has not yet been resolved. We await developments at EU and US level in this regard.

Energy supply continues to be an issue of concern. The EU must continue to bring forward measures to deal with high energy prices, the demand for gas, the need for security of supply and the phasing out of the dependency on Russian oil, gas and coal. That work is continuing at EU level.

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