Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

PESCO has nothing to do with the creation of an EU army. Some have mentioned the views of President Juncker and the European Parliament on the future of EU defence policy. I assure this House, as I assured the Lower House and committee members last week, that PESCO has nothing to do with the creation of a European army. As stated in the Lisbon treaty's protocols, that treaty does not provide for the creation of a European army. Nothing that President Juncker says can change that. If we are to have a European army, it will be a matter for the Senator and every other citizen in this country to decide. It will not be a matter for me. It would have to go to a referendum.

The world in which we live is a different place compared with ten or even five years ago. Every Senator has to recognise that. The threats that we face today are different than those faced five, ten, 15 or 20 years ago. Now that PESCO has been formally launched, it is crucial that Ireland moves forward in tandem with our fellow EU member states and plays its part in helping address the complex challenges facing the Union and its citizens.

I welcome this debate. One of the Senators who contributed asked whether we had sought legal advice on Ireland's participation in PESCO. We sought it from the Attorney General. It was found that there was no legal impediment to Ireland participating once Government approval and a Dáil resolution were obtained in accordance with section 1 of the Defence (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009.

People also asked why we had to join before Monday, 11 December. The reason is clear - we would become a part of the decision-making process. Had we not joined on Monday, Ireland would not be a decision maker, as only those who have signed up before 11 December can make decisions.

PESCO has been around for some time. I answered written and oral questions on this matter and discussed it in the Oireachtas as far back as June and July 2016. I answered oral questions on it in May, July and November 2017. I have spoken about it in Topical Issue debates in the Dáil and in a Commencement debate in this House with Senator Higgins. The Taoiseach spoke about it during statements on European Council meetings on 8 March, 21 March, 18 October and 25 October. He has answered oral questions in the Dáil. The Minister of State with responsibility for European affairs, Deputy McEntee, has discussed PESCO a number of times at committee level and during statements on European Council meetings. In early November, there was an article in The Irish Timeson PESCO specifically.

This decision was approved at the European Council meeting on 13 October. It was brought to the Cabinet on 13 November. The Government decision was made on 21 November. This matter was on the Dáil Order Paper on 22 and 23 November. As such, to say that this fell out of the sky and the Senator only heard of it last week is a total nonsense.