Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I am glad of the opportunity to speak on two very important issues. I agree, and I think the Tánaiste will agree, that this is a totally inadequate way of dealing with them. I have five minutes to deal with these matters. The Tánaiste did not have the time to present. It gives the wrong impression for those who want to create the wrong impression outside this House. I hope that next time these issues are addressed we will have adequate time.

I want to deal first with the annual report on service by the Defence Forces on UN missions. I express my absolute commendation of the efforts of our troops abroad. They have for more than five decades represented us with dignity and pride. Any of us who have served in government and have had the opportunity to see them in operation are proud of their efforts and the world is proud of them.

I do not know if the Tánaiste will have an opportunity to respond to the end of this. I am concerned about the current UNIFIL mission, which is by far the largest group of personnel we have serving abroad. The growing hostility and exchange of fire between Hezbollah and the Israeli Defense Forces is a cause of real concern when added to a deterioration in relations between the Irish Government and the Netanyahu government in Israel.

It really is a cause of concern when that is added to the deterioration in relations between the Irish Government and the Netanyahu government in Israel. I know they are well trained and protected. However, I would like to know there are systems in place to evacuate them from danger should that need arise. I hope the Tánaiste will give us some indication of that.

I turn to the second motion the Tánaiste has presented, which seeks our approval for participation by Ireland in two PESCO projects. The Tánaiste rightly said that there is a changed security environment in the world, and there is a substantially changed attitude among almost all of our fellow EU member states. Any of us who go to European meetings knows that, for example the committees on European affairs in the European Union. In that context, there is a requirement for us to be clear on our national stance and future intentions with regard to common defence and defence co-operation, and the role we envisage for our Defence Forces in the future. There is war on this Continent. Let us be crystal clear what our neutrality means. No matter what the Tánaiste has said, there is a lack of clarity in simply saying we are a neutral nation, but we are going to do all of these things. Is it a development of a positive independent expansion of our role as a neutral state? Is that Government policy in terms of our neutrality? Alternatively, is it a growing co-operation with EU member states' militaries, with common procurement, training and interoperability? I am not suggesting these two stances are entirely mutually exclusive, but the first requirement is for this nation to explain to our friends and neighbours what we believe our neutrality to mean. I do not believe there is any pressure on Ireland to alter its historical neutral stance, but we must give a clear vision of what that means to those outside the State who are our friends and neighbours and, more important, to reassure the people of this nation so that we have a clear understanding of what we are about.

The Government needs to answer a simple question in a convincing fashion. Is our growing involvement with PESCO activities anchored in a clear vision of Ireland's military neutrality or is it simply a pathway to participation in collective European defence? Whatever the Tánaiste has said to date, I say with conviction that there is no clear or coherent defence strategy being articulated that draws together an analysis of a new geopolitical reality, the conclusions of our own Commission on the Defence Forces, the changing nature of common defence within the European Union and the possibility, in the new Commission that is yet to be named, of an EU Commissioner for defence. Names being floated include the Polish foreign minister, Sikorski. Where does Ireland stand? Are we to be swept along by others or do we have a unique defence position to set out? I hope that question can be clearly answered by the Tánaiste to give a vision to Members of this House and the people of Ireland about what we intend to do.

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