Pearse Doherty (Sinn Fein)

Ní chuirim fáilte roimh an mBille seo, a thagann amach as an reifreann is déanaí a bhí againn. Is é seo ceann de na fáthanna gur chuir mo phairtí in éadan chonradh Liospóin. Cheapamar go raibh an tír seo ag sleamhnú isteach in Eoraip níos míleata. Bhíomar in éadan an European Defence Agency nuair a bhunaíodh é i 2004. The European Defence Agency is the armaments industry of the European Union. While in his speech the Minister outlined some of the benefits that come from this, such as ensuring our troops are supplied with the best equipment for peacekeeping missions under UN approval, the European Defence Agency also has a darker side. The Minister also stated that the only commitment we have to the EDA is a budgetary commitment but we should not participate in this. We should not be funding an armaments industry.

Other Members spoke about neutrality and the Minister also mentioned our traditional policy of neutrality. Will the Minister outline what is that traditional policy of neutrality? It was raised during his contribution today, referred to with regard to the Lisbon treaty and it will be lodged with the United Nations. Will somebody please define for me what is Ireland's traditional policy of neutrality? Neutrality is defined in international law and it is clear that if we did have a policy of neutrality, Ireland would have breached it time and again. One could not allow one's land or airspace to be used for the movement of foreign troops and what we see in Shannon would be a complete breach of this. As a previous speaker stated, we do not operate a policy of neutrality, we operate a traditional policy of neutrality. It is about time we defined what Irish neutrality stands for. I would like to see a referendum on neutrality. Even though the Government makes up the traditional policy of neutrality as time goes on and various events occur, I believe the heart of Ireland would like to see a real policy of neutrality such as that under which other countries operate. This is why I do not see the European Defence Agency playing a part in it.

Enhanced structured co-operation also allows us to slip further down the road of a militarised EU. While I acknowledge that we do not have to opt in to any such co-operation and it would be with the consent of the Dáil and the Government and not the Seanad, as was stated, it still allows for a number of member states to come together and organise under the name of the EU and carry out operations. They would be doing so in our name as well as in their own because they would do so with the support of the European Union and the European Defence Agency to which we would contribute financially. There are serious questions to be answered.

Europe is moving in the wrong direction. Ireland has a crucial role to play in conflict resolution throughout the world. The expansion of the Petersburg tasks under the Lisbon treaty takes in far more than peacekeeping and intervention and includes joint disarmament projects, which is what President Bush called the invasion of Iraq. Quite alarmingly, in his contribution, the Minister acknowledged that it is not clear how enhanced structured co-operation will work. It is ambiguous and it cannot be said for certain how it will work and how various countries will come together to operate in an international military context, using the support of the European Defence Agency, which we will fund, and under the imprimatur of the European Union, to carry out actions in our name.

This is an area in which we have a unique history and we could provide a specific role in global conflict resolution. Ireland is a former colony, has had a peace process and has international goodwill; these could be used in the best way to deal with conflict resolution. Supporting the enhanced structural co-operation of the European Defence Agency, which will allow other powers to come together using resources to which Ireland will contribute, undermines that.

Unfortunately the Minister is hell-bent against it but I would like to see a proper internationally accepted definition of neutrality being put to the Irish people so they can decide. It is great that the Dáil and the Government - which amount to the same thing - will decide but let the people decide whether the country should be neutral and not just have the traditional policy, which is made up by the Minister of the day. If the Minister does one thing in answering my questions I ask that it is to outline exactly and legally what is the State's traditional policy of neutrality. It would clear up many issues for us.