Mick Barry (Cork North Central, Solidarity) | Oireachtas source

The Tánaiste mentioned that similar organisations exist in other European Union countries. I do not doubt him for a moment on that. The arms industry is shadowy. Are other EU countries as shadowy as what we have here? I imagine that in many other European countries the affiliates of a defence association are on the public record, but that is not the case here.

The Tánaiste said this does not come under the aegis of his Department, and that is true. However, it is also true that the Department set up a meeting for this association with the CEO of the European defence association. If it is to set up meetings of that kind, the least the Department can do is come clean and be public about who attended the meetings and who the affiliates of the defence association he has spoken about are. The Tánaiste is correct to say that the arms industry is on the rise in Europe. I do not think we should be part of that, but I would like to get the answers to my questions.

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