Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. Russia's ongoing military aggression against Ukraine has fundamentally altered the security situation in Europe. It has also demonstrated the need for Ireland and our European Union partners to work closely together to deal with the serious security challenges that we face. Since my appointment as Minister for Defence, I attended the Foreign Affairs Council meeting in defence configuration, which took place in Brussels in May, and I also attended the informal defence ministerial meeting at the end of August, which took place in Toledo in Spain. I have also used the opportunities of these meetings to hold a number of short bilateral discussions with colleagues. Unfortunately, I was unable to attend the most recent Foreign Affairs Council defence ministers' format in Brussels on 14 November. Ireland was, on that occasion, represented by Ireland's ambassador to the Political and Security Committee of the European Union along with officials from my Department. Topics discussed included the EU’s support to Ukraine, the EU Rapid Deployment Capacity, the adoption of the mandate of CSDP missions in the Sahel, the conflict in the Middle East and the renewal of the mandate of Operation Althea. I look forward to engaging with EU colleagues further at upcoming defence ministerial meetings in the new year.

Earlier this year, I also attended the 59th Munich Security Conference, which was attended by a large number of defence ministers from the EU and beyond. The focus there was largely on the international response to the war in Ukraine. In my capacity as Minister for Foreign Affairs, issues of defence and security are a regular element of the Foreign Affairs Council agenda, where I meet with my ministerial counterparts on a monthly basis. Recently topics have included Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine; the Sahel; the Middle East; the Southern Caucasus; and the Western Balkans.

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