Kieran Phelan (Fianna Fail)

I welcome the Minister back to the House. He was here last week when we dealt with one of the most detailed and complex Bills ever to go through the House. Today's welcome appearance by him is very much in contrast, as he has introduced one of the shortest and most straightforward of Bills. I suggest it may be one of the least contentious Bills ever to have been brought before us, as Committee and Report Stages were passed in the Dáil without any amendments being tabled to it. It received broad acceptance and support across the Dáil and I hope we can demonstrate a similar consensus here.

The Bill makes it crystal clear that our participation in the European Defence Agency is voluntary and will be decided on a case by case basis. It also puts beyond doubt the fact that our focus in the agency will be on those areas relevant to the protection of our troops when deployed on peace support operations.

While the title "European Defence Agency" may sound a little sinister to some, its intent and purpose are not. Put simply, the agency provides a means of ensuring interoperability with our EU partners, especially those with whom we often serve on peacekeeping missions, as well as ensuring access to all new developments in peace support operations. I learned during my research on the Bill that "interoperability" was one of the major buzzwords in peacekeeping. In essence, it means the communications, protection and other equipment used by troops of different nations involved in peace support operations matches and works in tandem. In practice, it means ensuring our communications equipment can talk to and work with the communications equipment of other forces.

Ireland's participation in the European Defence Agency will also help the Defence Forces and the Department of Defence to achieve economies of scale when it comes to purchasing new defence equipment and to keep up to date with best practice and new developments in the defence environment, particularly as it impacts on crisis management operations. It is also worth reminding ourselves that the agency was established during Ireland's Presidency of the European Union in 2004. Its primary role is to help the member states to develop their defence capabilities in order that they can contribute to crisis management operations launched by the Union. It also has a role in improving the structure of the European defence industry in to eliminate duplication and improve the effectiveness of existing research investment. It is hoped the initiatives of the agency will help to reduce the cost base in the industry and, thus, lower the cost to member states of acquiring and maintaining defence equipment. The Minister has often said the cost of purchasing defence or military protection equipment by the European Union is up to two and half times the costs incurred by the American Government.

Last year the Irish defence budget was just over €1 billion. While over 70% of this is accounted for by wages, allowances and pensions, it still leaves us with a capital, equipment and supplies budget in excess of €250 million a year. Therefore, it is particularly important in light of the current difficult economic environment that the Government should pursue any economies we can achieve without compromising the quality of the protective and support equipment we make available to those who serve on very dangerous missions. We have a duty of care to our men and women in uniform to ensure the equipment, support and training they receive is the best available and is at least the match of our European partners. I note that Ireland has participated in the past in the EDA's joint investment programme on force protection. The Minister has made it clear the Defence Forces' main interest in this programme was the development of technologies to protect troops from such dangers as snipers, booby traps and improvised explosive devices. The programme also included such important elements as body armour sensors and systems to encounter explosive devices. I understand Ireland, as part of the EDA's annual work programme, is involved in ongoing work on defence against chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear explosive threats, improved communications systems for use on the ground in operations, health and medical support for EU military operations and the development of improved counter-IED, improvised explosive devices, capability to enable military forces operate safely in an environment where such devises are present. As the legislation now puts beyond doubt, our participation in EDA programmes is in areas relevant to the protection of our troops when they are deployed on peace support operations. This is important work. It is essential the Defence Forces have access to the latest developments in these fields such that we can provide the best protection possible for our troops. This is and must continue to be our primary concern.

I am satisfied the Bill does absolutely nothing to diminish our traditional policy of military neutrality. As I stated at the beginning, this is a short Bill and adequately sets out the very specific conditions under which we may participate in projects undertaken by the European Defence Agency or in permanent structured co-operation.

Any proposed participation will be based on the triple lock of Government and Dáil approval, coupled with the qualification that such participation would contribute to the enhancement of capabilities for United Nations mandated missions engaged in peace keeping, conflict prevention or the strengthening of international security in accordance with the principles of the Charter of the United Nations. I believe this is a very sensible and measured approach and I am pleased to support the Bill and recommend its endorsement by the House.