Alice-Mary Higgins (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I mistakenly believed it was in a previous grouping. I will speak to it again briefly

. Amendment No. 102a makes provision for a report in respect of Horizon Europe. The Minister indicated that the Government opposes a change from the current civil application of Horizon Europe. I would disagree slightly in the context of waiting for the formal proposals to come through because we know there will be much discussion and back and forth in the interim. When the formal proposal comes from the Commission, we will already be further down the path. The point where the Commission produces a White Paper would have been an appropriate time for the Government to communicate clearly its perspective with it. It is always better to influence a proposal before it is made, rather than simply responding after it is made. I regret that the Government has not chosen to have an input in respect of or make a submission on the White Paper produced by the Commission. It is good to put on record that, as I understand it, the Minister of State is indicating that we do not believe that we should change Horizon Europe from a civil focus and blend it with the European Defence Fund, which has a military focus. I will not go through all of the details because we had that discussion earlier. I apologise that I came in on the amendment at the wrong point earlier.