Results 2,141-2,160 of 3,935 for speaker:Sorca Clarke

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

Sorca Clarke: That was the example given by the Minister, not by me. When reading the statement it refers to: “existing security and defence arrangements”, “enhanced military capabilities”, ensuring that our troops are equipped and then there is a reference about reflecting modular innovative technology, none of which I believe anybody would have an issue with. However, my...

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

Sorca Clarke: But, does that then-----

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

Sorca Clarke: To bring us back on track again, that then goes back to my question of why now, before the Report of the Commission on the Defence Forces has gone to Cabinet?

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

Sorca Clarke: I have to emphasise that it was premature to bring this before the committee before Report of the Commission on the Defence Forces had gone to Cabinet-----

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

Sorca Clarke: We think that-----

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

Sorca Clarke: We disagree on the position or time-----

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

Sorca Clarke: -----but I want to emphasise that point. It appears that the cart has been put before the horse in this regard.

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

Sorca Clarke: The Minister has had the report on the Defence Forces since early in the year.

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

Sorca Clarke: We can argue back and forth all day.

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

Sorca Clarke: Just, in terms of-----

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

Sorca Clarke: No, I have a point of clarity to make. The Minister has said that these are four training projects but they are not. Two of them are capability development projects. Two of them are training projects.

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

Sorca Clarke: The Minister cannot say something different to the committee than he said in his opening statement. He is directly contradicting-----

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

Sorca Clarke: Nobody is disputing the fact that we have members of the Defence Forces-----

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

Sorca Clarke: -----in the field. Nobody is disputing that. However, if you had known, as Minister, that this report was coming before this committee before the end of this term, surely that would have put a greater onus on the Minister to bring forward the Report of the Commission on the Defence Forces to Cabinet earlier. Again, I go back to the point about the cart before the horse.

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

Sorca Clarke: I am not.

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

Sorca Clarke: No.

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

Sorca Clarke: They are intrinsically linked.

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

Sorca Clarke: It clearly makes reference to existing security defence arrangements, military capabilities to ensure that our troops are equipped. This is language that is repeated throughout the Report of the Commission on the Defence Forces.

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

Sorca Clarke: Why would the Minister not bring to this committee that Report of the Commission on the Defence Forces after it had gone to the Government to be signed off and the decision was made, before bringing this?

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

Sorca Clarke: -----the Report of the Commission on the Defence Forces----