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

This is the first time ever that there has been a change in terms of allowances and supports for participation in an EU battle group. As I said, in the previous ones there were no allowances as such and this represents progress. The nature of the participation in the battle group is somewhat significantly different from that, say, in a UNIFIL mission or other mission abroad.

There is a claim before the conciliation council under the conciliation and arbitration scheme and that claim will be considered in that space. I cannot comment on that while it is within, but I have taken an interest in this and have pushed for and worked across government to get the changes that I outlined earlier in the latter part of my reply, which represent progress in respect of the EU battle group.

It is a significant opportunity as well in terms of experience and working with peers across Europe. It is not the intention that anybody would be out of pocket.

See this speech in context