Results 2,161-2,180 of 7,447 for speaker:John Brady

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Reports on Service by the Defence Forces with the UN and Permanent Structured Cooperation Projects: Motions (30 Jun 2022)

John Brady: The difficulty is you are better off having people within the UN than outside it. Removing the veto has consequences. That is a challenge. I agree with some of what the Minister has said, but serious questions should be asked about the impact that removing the veto would have. That there is a UN in the first place is because the permanent five and the veto were put in place. Reforming...

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Reports on Service by the Defence Forces with the UN and Permanent Structured Cooperation Projects: Motions (30 Jun 2022)

John Brady: Absolutely.

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Reports on Service by the Defence Forces with the UN and Permanent Structured Cooperation Projects: Motions (30 Jun 2022)

John Brady: Is the Minister suggesting that we operate outside of a UN mandate?

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Reports on Service by the Defence Forces with the UN and Permanent Structured Cooperation Projects: Motions (30 Jun 2022)

John Brady: I am conscious that Pegasus is Israeli technology.

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Reports on Service by the Defence Forces with the UN and Permanent Structured Cooperation Projects: Motions (30 Jun 2022)

John Brady: I hear what the Minister is saying but at this point, given the drive by certain parties around neutrality, I think it is impossible to separate neutrality and the triple lock mechanism.

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Reports on Service by the Defence Forces with the UN and Permanent Structured Cooperation Projects: Motions (30 Jun 2022)

John Brady: It has always been there, as long as the UN-----

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Reports on Service by the Defence Forces with the UN and Permanent Structured Cooperation Projects: Motions (30 Jun 2022)

John Brady: We can do that. However, I am saying it is impossible to separate neutrality and the future of the Defence Forces potentially outside a UN mandate.

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Reports on Service by the Defence Forces with the UN and Permanent Structured Cooperation Projects: Motions (30 Jun 2022)

John Brady: Roll over the Defence Forces.

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Permanent Structured Cooperation (PESCO) Projects: Motion (30 Jun 2022)

John Brady: I thank the Minister. The Minister said that most countries are involved in more PESCO projects than Ireland is. This is true-----

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Permanent Structured Cooperation (PESCO) Projects: Motion (30 Jun 2022)

John Brady: It is also safe to say that a lot of those, or most EU countries, are also members of NATO. I just want to put this into context.

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Permanent Structured Cooperation (PESCO) Projects: Motion (30 Jun 2022)

John Brady: I believe there is an attempt to obscure the continuous erosion of Ireland's neutrality by attempting to portray the participation in PESCO as benign training and co-operation opportunities for the Defence Forces. It is impossible to separate it away from the stated position and rhetoric from officials within the EU and European parties. The Minister's party is a member of the European...

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Permanent Structured Cooperation (PESCO) Projects: Motion (30 Jun 2022)

John Brady: -----what is presented in front of us here today with the broader outlook and the broader moves by the European project for a European army, and the jettison of our military neutrality. The Minister might speak on those broader views within the EU in terms of what I believe PESCO is being used towards. Many would say it is a Trojan horse to develop an EU army. It is impossible not to look...

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Permanent Structured Cooperation (PESCO) Projects: Motion (30 Jun 2022)

John Brady: We are a neutral country.

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Permanent Structured Cooperation (PESCO) Projects: Motion (30 Jun 2022)

John Brady: The point is that we are a neutral country.

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Permanent Structured Cooperation (PESCO) Projects: Motion (30 Jun 2022)

John Brady: I never insinuated there was. For correction, I never stated that. I spoke about Josep Borrell in a separate context in relation to comments that he made last month on the need to develop a military force within the EU. The other comments on the European Peoples Party and its stated position in its manifesto is-----

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Permanent Structured Cooperation (PESCO) Projects: Motion (30 Jun 2022)

John Brady: -----in terms of the development of a European army.

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Permanent Structured Cooperation (PESCO) Projects: Motion (30 Jun 2022)

John Brady: I was referring to Josep Borrell speaking on the development of military strength not humanitarian assistance.

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Permanent Structured Cooperation (PESCO) Projects: Motion (30 Jun 2022)

John Brady: Nobody would argue against those points. Our Defence Forces need all of that. Yet, this is a matter of the vehicle in which it is being used and where the final destination will be. That is the issue of concern. I have two points. The Minister spoke about the benchmarks that we have to adhere to in order to be of NATO standard. Of course, there has been much focus on NATO. I...

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Permanent Structured Cooperation (PESCO) Projects: Motion (30 Jun 2022)

John Brady: They are big questions but-----

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Permanent Structured Cooperation (PESCO) Projects: Motion (30 Jun 2022)

John Brady: ------I think they are core questions.