Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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2. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the specific projects that are being undertaken by Ireland under the EU Common Security and Defence Policy, including Permanent Structured Cooperation, PESCO; his plans for future projects under this programme and the Individually Tailored Partnership Programme, ITPP, through NATO’s Partnership for Peace; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12256/24]

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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I ask the Tánaiste to set out the specific projects that are being undertaken by Ireland under the EU's CFSP, including Partnership for Peace and PESCO.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Deputy for tabling this question. To date, Ireland has participated in 14 projects with the European Defence Agency, EDA, six of which are completed and eight are ongoing. These projects include areas such as joint procurement, cyber, military search capability, maritime surveillance and counter-improvised explosive devices. Ireland's participation in EDA projects is underpinned by legislation requiring Government and Dáil approval. In that respect any future projects will also be scrutinised and taken through that legislative requirement before any commitment is made.

Ireland is currently participating in the following four PESCO projects: deployable military disaster relief capability package; upgrade of maritime surveillance; maritime semi-autonomous systems for mine countermeasures; and cyber threats and incident response information sharing platform. My Department and the Defence Forces are regularly assessing PESCO projects against the capability development requirements for our military and remain ambitious to participate in other PESCO projects that can deliver for Ireland. Under the programme for Government Ireland's participation in PESCO projects requires Government and Dáil approval.

As the Deputy will be aware, Ireland has been a member of Partnership for Peace since 1999, which is seen as fundamental to Ireland being able to meet its obligations in providing professional peacekeepers for international crisis management and peacekeeping operations and in enhancing the Defence Forces’ interoperability with other professional military forces.

Ireland’s agreed ITPP for 2024 to 2028 governs the continued co-operation with NATO under Partnership for Peace. It is a voluntary and cooperative framework between NATO and individual partner countries and is partner-led. The ITPP sets out areas for cooperation including, for example, tackling cyber and hybrid threats, enhancing resilience in maritime security, and through the women, peace, and security agenda. It also sets out the military areas where the Defence Forces strive to attain maximum interoperability, enabling of capabilities, and the enhancement of the professionalism of the Defence Forces and its ability to contribute to international peacekeeping operations. There are no specific projects contained in the ITPP. As I have referenced, this is about co-operation, getting access to information, training and education.

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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I thank the Tánaiste for restating the legal position. I ask him to comment on the letter of invitation issued by the President of the European Council, Mr. Charles Michel, to leaders to today's European Council meeting in which he states "a real paradigm shift in relation to our security and defence" is required. He asserts that "it is high time we take radical and concrete steps to be defence-ready and put the EU’s economy on a “war footing”." and goes on to say that, "Building this strategic security mindset require [s] strong leadership and an acute understanding of the urgency of the threats we face. I expect our European Council to live up to this". What does the Tánaiste expect Ireland's response to that statement and to the discussion today to be?

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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First, any iteration, change or shift in CSDP within the EU will have to have respect for what we term the "specific characteristics" of policies of certain states including Ireland, Austria and Malta. That statement was made in the context of the Russian threat to the security of Europe. There is a real sense of vulnerability in terms of the war economy that is now, in essence, the driving force of the Russian position. Russia and its economy are on a war footing. Many countries who neighbour or flank Russia are extremely anxious and concerned about their own security situation and they see the war in Ukraine as existential. That is the context.

In terms of our position, we have the Commission on the Defence Forces. We are increasing our own capabilities and have to do so. We have a set programme in terms of procurement in respect of a whole range of issues that have been covered in the commission's report in the context of getting up to level of ambition, LOA, 2. That is the objective we have set ourselves.

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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I thank the Tánaiste for setting out the rationale for the views expressed so strongly by the European Council President but my question was about our response to it. If that is the mindset of Europe, does the Tánaiste agree that Europe has to put its economy on a war footing? What would that mean for our country? What does the Tánaiste think the contribution of the Government will be to those discussions today and tomorrow?

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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The essential issue here is European defence capability more broadly in terms of the European defence industry. Concern has been expressed across the EU about its inability to manufacture and develop-----

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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Should we be part of that?

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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We are part of the European Defence Agency. We are a militarily neutral state. We are not aligned or part of a mutual defence pact but we do have to enhance our own capability. Certainly, we can be part of joint projects in terms of procurement. There is no issue there; that is allowed for in terms of investment and how we go about that investment. Joint procurement under the EDA is one aspect of that or we can partner with another member state in terms of specific aspects of procurement of certain defence infrastructure or defence capability.