Alan Dillon (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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13. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the matters discussed at his latest meeting with EU counterparts; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21039/23]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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EU Defence Ministers most recently met in Brussels in March with their Foreign Affairs' colleagues in a joint session. In my unavoidable absence, this meeting was attended by the Minister of State for European Affairs and Defence, Mr. Peter Burke TD.

Among the topics discussed were EU Support to Ukraine and progress made on the Implementation of the Strategic Compass.

While discussions at the Jumbo Foreign Affairs Council (with Defence and Foreign Ministers in attendance) were focused on a proposal on the procurement and delivery of ammunition for Ukraine, Ireland emphasised the importance of continued non-lethal military support and the need to ensure that future top-ups of European Peace Facility funding should include an explicit provision for non-lethal assistance for Ukraine.

Member States broadly welcomed progress to date under the Strategic Compass. Ireland, along with a number of other EU Member States, emphasised the need to accelerate the implementation of the Cyber and Hybrid Toolbox in order to further strengthen the EU response to cyber and hybrid threats.

Following the joint meeting of Foreign Affairs and Defence Ministers, Defence Ministers gathered at the inaugural Schuman Security and Defence Partnership Forum - a key deliverable under the partnerships chapter of the Strategic Compass. The aim of the Schuman Forum is to maintain a high level of ambition in the area of security and defence for the EU, while also paving the way for more coherent, consistent, and comprehensive dialogue and partnerships.

I look forward to engaging with my EU counterparts at the upcoming meeting of EU Defence Ministers which is taking place next week in Brussels. EU Support to Ukraine will again be to the fore of discussions, along with a session on Current Affairs which is expected to touch on topics such as the ongoing situation in Sudan and the status of EU CSDP military missions in Africa.