Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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239. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the implications for the implementation of Irish defence policy following the British decision to leave the European Union; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18767/16]

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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The Government has adopted a contingency framework to deal with all issues arising in respect of the UK vote to leave the EU, and any issues arising, including those within the Defence area, whether bilateral, or in respect of developments in CSDP or our wider international multilateral defence engagements will be addressed within that framework.

While the outcome of the vote in the UK will have implications across all aspects of the business of the European Union, our current analysis is that the vote does not give rise to fundamental strategic issues for Defence Forces operations, or Defence Policy in relation to the UK/IE defence relationship or for Ireland’s continuing engagement within the EU in CSDP. However, all consequences of the Vote are the subject of ongoing consideration in my Department.

Within the EU, Defence issues are a national competence and any decisions require unanimity. Ireland will continue to have a strong and equal voice on defence issues within the EU institutions. The treaties require that the EU respects the specific and different policies of Member States in the area of security and defence and that will not change.

We have many defence connections with the UK, not least in the area of personnel training and information exchanges on capability development, tactics and procedures. These are of a bilateral nature and are reflected in our Memorandum of Understanding with the UK on Defence and Security Cooperation and will thus be unaffected by the referendum.