Bríd Smith (Dublin South Central, People Before Profit Alliance)
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96. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence if Ireland's participation in PESCO is a breach of Ireland's neutrality in view of recent comments by EU leaders; if the view of other EU leaders that it is a step toward an EU army is shared by him; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48391/18]

Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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Permanent Structured Cooperation has no implications for Ireland’s policy of military neutrality.

The establishment of PESCO represents a further development in EU Cooperation in support of international peace and security under CSDP. Under PESCO, Member States will come together in different groups to develop and make available additional capabilities and enablers for peacekeeping and crisis management operations.

Within the EU, it is accepted that defence and security is a national competence and that any decisions, including any deepening of EU cooperation, require unanimity. Ireland continues to have a strong and equal voice on defence issues within the EU institutions.

The European treaties require that the EU respects the specific and different policies of Member States in the area of security and defence and that has not been changed or compromised by our participation in PESCO. In addition, the Irish Protocols to the Lisbon Treaty specifically states that the Lisbon Treaty does not provide for the creation of a European army.

The participation criteria for PESCO expressly stipulate that PESCO will be undertaken in full compliance with the Treaty on European Union and the associated protocols and will respect the Member States constitutional provisions. It is also important to note that participation in each project is on an “opt in” basis and is therefore entirely voluntary.