Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

The difficulty is that competences within the EU have been cited as the reason Ireland cannot act on matters of foreign affairs and defence. For example, how many times have propositions been laid before this House for Ireland to take meaningful action only for the response from the Tánaiste or his colleagues to be that we cannot do so because such would require movement at EU level? That is precisely because the EU has competence in these matters. In a while, we will discuss the procurement of Israeli weaponry and the Tánaiste will tell me that EU rules oblige Ireland to allow tenders from Israeli arms manufacturers.

It is important that he and his party make a clear statement. Fianna Fáil MEPs regularly abstain or vote the wrong way on amendments that would enshrine the principle of unanimity. It is important that people be clear about whether this is a principle they are willing to uphold and defend.

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