Results 61-80 of 36,748 for speaker:Pearse Doherty

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation, and Taoiseach: Scrutiny of EU Legislative Proposals (15 Oct 2025)

Pearse Doherty: Yes, it is for the production. Is not that correct? The production of, not just ammunition, but also missiles. There is a €50 million budget for missiles. It is about the production, is it not, of these types of munitions?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation, and Taoiseach: Scrutiny of EU Legislative Proposals (15 Oct 2025)

Pearse Doherty: So hard pressed Irish taxpayers are supporting the capacity for European countries to produce missiles, munitions and explosives en masse. Is that not the case? Is that a factual statement?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation, and Taoiseach: Scrutiny of EU Legislative Proposals (15 Oct 2025)

Pearse Doherty: Sorry, Mr. Knauer and I were having a conversation. Is not that not a fact, Mr. Knauer?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation, and Taoiseach: Scrutiny of EU Legislative Proposals (15 Oct 2025)

Pearse Doherty: Irish taxpayers are funding the capacity of the production of ammunition, including explosives, powder, shells and missiles within Europe.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation, and Taoiseach: Scrutiny of EU Legislative Proposals (15 Oct 2025)

Pearse Doherty: Does Ireland contribute towards that?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation, and Taoiseach: Scrutiny of EU Legislative Proposals (15 Oct 2025)

Pearse Doherty: Of which this is a part. Can I ask a straight question? Why will Mr. Knauer not just tell it as it is? Ireland contributes, through the EU budget, to this programme which is designed to increase the capacity of Europe in relation to munitions, including explosives, powder, shells, missiles and other capabilities to the tune of half a billion euro. Is that not a factual statement and why...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation, and Taoiseach: Scrutiny of EU Legislative Proposals (15 Oct 2025)

Pearse Doherty: Please.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation, and Taoiseach: Scrutiny of EU Legislative Proposals (15 Oct 2025)

Pearse Doherty: No, that has not offended me at all. I will come to the issue of Article 41.2 at a later point in relation to how the treaty completely bans the use of European funds to procure arms. What we are talking about is increasing the capabilities and in my view, that is a way around. Ultimately, about half a billion euro will flow to companies to increase their capabilities in specific areas...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation, and Taoiseach: Scrutiny of EU Legislative Proposals (15 Oct 2025)

Pearse Doherty: I appreciate that. Ireland is a military neutral country.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation, and Taoiseach: Scrutiny of EU Legislative Proposals (15 Oct 2025)

Pearse Doherty: Yet we have just determined that Irish taxpayers are funding the military complex within Europe.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation, and Taoiseach: Scrutiny of EU Legislative Proposals (15 Oct 2025)

Pearse Doherty: Which is what?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation, and Taoiseach: Scrutiny of EU Legislative Proposals (15 Oct 2025)

Pearse Doherty: No, sorry, I understand the Irish piece. Sorry, I did not understand the point made by Mr. Knauer but I get it now that Ireland's neutrality is respected. How is it respected if we are a net contributor to a fund which actually increases the military munitions capabilities for other EU member states? Therefore, people in my constituency, and people around this table, that is, the Irish...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation, and Taoiseach: Scrutiny of EU Legislative Proposals (15 Oct 2025)

Pearse Doherty: It is very clear under the Article 41(2) of the Treaty on European Union, where it excludes the use of EU budget "arising from operations having military or defence implications". The European Union has found a way around this. It is using another article, which is about subsidising companies and so on and, as Mr. Knauer mentioned, not procuring ammunition or weapons of war. The reality is...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation, and Taoiseach: Scrutiny of EU Legislative Proposals (15 Oct 2025)

Pearse Doherty: Where will the interest rate that services the loans come from?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation, and Taoiseach: Scrutiny of EU Legislative Proposals (15 Oct 2025)

Pearse Doherty: Does it not come from the overall European budget which Ireland contributes to? If member states draw down these loans, will there be no debt-servicing costs in terms of the European Union or is this all free money the EU is getting?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation, and Taoiseach: Scrutiny of EU Legislative Proposals (15 Oct 2025)

Pearse Doherty: Okay, I will come back in later. I thank Mr. Knauer.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation, and Taoiseach: Scrutiny of EU Legislative Proposals (15 Oct 2025)

Pearse Doherty: I am looking for some clarity with regard to SAFE. I also have some quick questions. Regarding the drawdown of the loans, is it exclusively EU member states that can draw down the loans?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation, and Taoiseach: Scrutiny of EU Legislative Proposals (15 Oct 2025)

Pearse Doherty: Then, under other rules regarding common procurement, it is EU member states plus other states, is that correct?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation, and Taoiseach: Scrutiny of EU Legislative Proposals (15 Oct 2025)

Pearse Doherty: Yes, but with regard to the drawdown of the loans it is only EU member states. It is not candidate states and all the rest. Okay. Regarding a point I raised in my first round of questions, Europe will go to the capital markets to issue bonds to raise the capital for these loans. Do we have any indication of what the likely interest rate is that will be charged in regard to those bonds?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation, and Taoiseach: Scrutiny of EU Legislative Proposals (15 Oct 2025)

Pearse Doherty: Yes.