Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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53. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the engagement he has had with the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform in view of the expected additional cost implications arising from Irish involvement in the European Peace Facility as outlined in the recent spending review on expenditure on overseas peace support missions; his views on whether Ireland’s role in this initiative will affect the policy of neutrality; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36695/20]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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The European Peace Facility was proposed by High Representative and Vice President of the Commission, Federica Mogherini, in June 2018 with the aim of providing the EU with a single off-budget financing mechanism of up to €5 billion for the period of the next MFF - 2021 to 2027 and would finance a range of Common Security Defence Policy (CSDP) actions having military or defence implications.

The EPF would unite and expand the scope of two existing mechanisms, the Athena Funding Mechanism which handles the financing of common costs relating to EU military operations under the EU's common security and defence policy (CSDP), and the African Peace Facility, which primarily supports African Union actions.  The EPF will expand the geographical scope of the African Peace Facility and also include a mechanism for funding actions in support of capacity building for peace and security.   While discussions are on-going at EU level to finalise the provisions of the EPF, it is expected that it will be operational in 2021.

With regard to the financial impact of the EPF, my officials have met with the Departments of Foreign Affairs, Public Expenditure and Reform and the Department of Finance and these discussions are on-going.

The allocation of the €5bn for the period 2021 to 2027 for the EPF across assistance measures (under what was the African Peace Facility) and Athena and across each of the seven years of the MFF has not yet been determined, however, any costs to Ireland relating to the EPF will arise through our European Union membership and participation in EU Common Security and Defence Policy. The actual drawdown of funding will be dependent on the number and scale of CSDP missions going forward, the elements of agreed common funding and agreement on the various assistance measures for partner funding.

Discussions continue in Brussels on the scope of the measure and the exact provisions and it would seem that that will be agreed before member States turn to consider the annual budget.

Ireland’s role in the European Peace Facility does not have any impact on our neutrality. Decisions in relation to EU military operations overseas and generally in the area of CSDP require unanimity at Council.  As such, Ireland continues along with all other member States to retain a veto in this regard.