Paul Daly (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the opportunity to speak on PESCO. Fianna Fáil supports the Defence Forces and State in joining and engaging with PESCO. This is not a question of creating a European army or undermining our neutrality - indeed we look forward to working within PESCO with other neutral countries, Finland, Sweden and Austria. It concerns deepening our co-operation with other states with which we are already part of a Union, working together, building co-operation, sharing knowledge and ideas, pooling resources, generating better economies of scale, providing better training for members of the Defence Forces and, ultimately, ensuring peace and stability across the European Union to protect its citizens.

We might be a small island on the edge of Europe but we face the same type of threats as our nearest neighbour, the UK, and our larger neighbour across the Atlantic. Cyberterrorism is something which this country has experienced. Over 5,000 cyberattack attempts were discovered in one hospital forcing the HSE to shut down all external access to its information technology, IT, network. Our health system is already on its knees without cyberterrorism. Knowledge is not power but the sharing of knowledge is power and PESCO offers us the opportunity to learn from and impart knowledge on our peacekeeping missions. We have an international reputation as a peacekeeping nation and we have a lot to offer in that respect.

The effects of joining PESCO are many and positive. It reinforces the fact that we are fully committed to the European Union and its ideals and values. We engaged in all aspects of the process and ensured the Irish voice and concerns were heard, as reflected in the draft.It is about generating better economies of scale, providing better training for members of our Defence Forces and, ultimately, ensuring peace and stability across the European Union for citizens in order to protect them.

We might be a small island on the edge of Europe but we too face the same type of threats as our nearest neighbours in the UK and our larger neighbours across the Atlantic. Cyberterror is something this country has experienced with over 5,000 cyberattack attempts discovered in one hospital, forcing the HSE to shut down all external access to its information technology network. Our health system is already on its knees without cyberterror.

Knowledge is not power, but the sharing of knowledge is power and PESCO offers us the opportunity to learn from and impart knowledge on our peacekeeping missions. We have an international reputation as a peacekeeping nation and we have much to offer in that respect.

The effects of joining PESCO are many and positive. Joining would reinforce the fact that we are fully committed to European Union and its ideals and values. We engaged in all aspects of the process and that ensured Irish concerns were heard and reflected in the draft. In the context of Brexit and a post-Brexit scenario it is vital that, as a member state fully committed to the European Union, we show our support for the Union and all of its values. This includes our commitment to the common security and defence policy, which we have had a major role in developing.

We will gain much from joining PESCO. Our members of the Defence Forces will be better trained and equipped and will have more knowledge. They will ultimately be safer when they go on overseas missions to represent our country.

There are many times when politicians laud the members of the Defence Forces for their fantastic work and humanitarian actions overseas, including their peacekeeping and peace enforcement missions. It is important to note that joining PESCO is very much supported by the Defence Forces. It is important to send the message to members of the Defence Forces that we support them in the work they do. That is something we have not been doing that lately. We are proud of the work they do and we want to work with them to ensure they have access to the best information, knowledge and training.