Eoghan Murphy (Dublin South East, Fine Gael)
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114. To ask the Minister for Defence in view of recent hostilities in eastern Europe, if he has held talks with any NATO members on the developing situation in Ukraine; and his plans to increase Irish co-operation with NATO or to formalise it through an application for membership. [34543/14]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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I have not had direct talks with NATO Members in relation to the developing situation in Ukraine. However, during the recent Informal Defence Ministerial in Milan, Ministers for Defence were briefed on the developing situation in Ukraine. During that meeting Ministers, which included Ministers from NATO member countries, exchanged views on the crisis in Ukraine. It should be noted that twenty two of the twenty eight EU Member States are also members of NATO. I can confirm that this Government does not intend to join NATO. Our cooperation with NATO will continue to be conducted through the Partnership for Peace. There has been no change in policy in relation to Ireland’s engagement in NATO or indeed in our Policy for deploying our troops to NATO-led Missions, which requires that the Mission be UN Mandated, and Government and Dáil approved.

Ireland’s relations with NATO are set within the framework of the Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council (EAPC) and Partnership for Peace (PfP), including its Planning and Review Process (PARP).

Ireland joined EAPC and Partnership for Peace (PfP) on 1 December 1999. The EAPC is a multilateral body, made up of the 28 members of NATO and the 24 members of PfP, for political and security-related dialogue and consultation between its members.

The primary aim of our PfP participation is to enhance the Defence Forces’ interoperability with other professional military forces for the purpose of engaging in UN authorised peacekeeping and peace support operations led by the UN, EU or NATO. Participation in PfP is fundamental to Ireland being able to meet its obligations in providing professional peacekeepers for international crisis management and peacekeeping operations mandated by the UN.

As members of Partnership for Peace (PfP), Ireland participates in PfP’s Planning and Review Process (PARP). As part of this process, Ireland has adopted a range of Partnership Goals aimed at assisting Ireland to meet its UN/EU commitments in the areas of Counter Improvised Explosive Devices (C-IED), Cyber Security, Network Enabled Services, etc. Membership of PfP has allowed the Defence Forces to gain access to NATO standards – which are internationally-recognised as representing best practice for the development of military capabilities. The Defence Forces participation in PARP will continue as part of our engagement in Partnership for Peace.