Thomas Byrne
Meath East · Fianna Fáil · Ireland
“We are very proud of the work they do in what are often very dangerous circumstances. Let us be 100% clear: our troops will only ever do peacekeeping, peace enforcement or conflict prevention in accordance with the principles of the UN Charter and, of course, as with every action of this Government, in accordance with the Constitution.”
“To be clear on what our troops will be doing, they will be doing peacekeeping, peace enforcement and conflict prevention. That is what the law says; not what the Deputy imagines it to be. We are bound by our Constitution and international law. The legislation changes nothing in that regard.”
“We are bound by international law. We are bound by international law since our Constitution came into force and we continue to be bound by international law and always will be, no matter what happens to this legislation. International law governs what we do as a Government.”
“I propose to take Questions Nos. 125, 140, 157 and 185 together. I am taking this question on behalf of the Minister. A commitment to reform what is known as the triple lock was set out in the programme for Government.”
“-----in accordance with UN principles and, of course, in accordance with our own Constitution, which commits us to peace and friendly relations among nations. The triple lock is a statutory mechanism.”
“Switzerland, the classical neutral country that is not even a member of the European Union and will never join the European Union, it is so neutral and independent, accepts UN, EU and OSCE mandates. I understand the situation is similar in Austria, which is another neutral country. By the way, it is also similar in Germany.”
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“I thank the Deputy for making this important case. The Government is committed to the provision of additional special school places for children with special educational needs. Budget 2026 secured funding for 3,000 new specialist places and the NCSE is currently looking at where these places should be best located for the school year 2026-2027. There is a lot of work going on at the moment in that regard. Over 2,700 new places were provided in 2025-2026, meaning there are now 3,741 special classes nationwide. That means there will be 300 more additional places. There will be 3,000 new specialist places next September. There were 2,700 new special places in this school year, so we are building on work we are doing.”
“I have huge empathy with the Deputy and the residents. My suggestion would be to let Uisce Éireann and the council deal with the immediate aftermath of what is happening this week. Thereafter, it is fair to say, Uisce Éireann has responsibility for wastewater and the sewerage system in general. The local authority is responsible for drainage. It is probably a case of knocking heads together in the context of the combined systems and maybe trying to arrange a meeting between the local authority and Uisce Éireann. They should be given a bit of time to deal with the aftermath of the storms. However, the other matter is something both entities probably need to work on. I would definitely encourage them to come together on that, particularly Uisce Éireann with its big budget.”
“The funding will support the delivery of a wide range of projects in our cities and regions required for housing delivery, safeguarding public health and the environment and, crucially, the capacity required for new housing targets. The Government is committed to making sure that all aspects of water infrastructure are strengthened and that communities feel the benefit of the unprecedented development in water services announced in the NDP.”
“Throughout this flood event in Dundalk and nationally, Uisce Éireann continues to issue public safety information where required, to support local authorities in mitigation efforts and to deploy crews to areas of greatest need. It will maintain full operational readiness, provide ongoing situational updates, and engage with Departments and all stakeholders. All efforts remain focused on public safety, minimising disruption and restoring normal conditions. Under the revised national development plan, NDP, the Government has scaled up support for the water sector by means of a record allocation of €12.2 billion in funding out to 2030. Uisce Éireann will be allocated 95% of this.”
“Across Louth and other affected counties, Uisce Éireann teams are still actively responding to the impact of the storm to triage incidents, to prioritise safety-critical interventions and to ensure that essential services remain operational. The exact cause of specific flood incidents observed in parts of Dundalk remain unclear. Multiple factors, including ground saturation, river level fluctuations and tidal interactions relating to coastal positioning can influence flooding behaviour during storms. A full post-incident review will be undertaken once conditions stabilise. Findings and insights will be shared to the appropriate channels, including the national emergency co-ordination group, NECG, and other oversight bodies, to support continuous improvements of Uisce Éireann's national emergency preparedness and response frameworks.”
“We are very grateful, as I am sure the Ceann Comhairle is, for everybody who been working hard all around the country where it has been badly affected.”
“Gabhaim buíochas leis an Teachta ós rud é gur chuir sé an t-ábhar tábhachtach seo ar an gclár inniu. Gabhann an tAire, an Teachta Browne, a leithscéal. Níl sé in ann a bheith linn um thráthnóna. At the outset, I should point out that the operation of the public water supply and the wastewater supply are operational issues locally for Uisce Éireann, which has statutory responsibility for all aspects. The Minister, Deputy Browne, does not have operational function in the matters to which the Deputy refers. We have, however, enquired with Uisce Éireann and have been informed that the aftermath of Storm Chandra remains an active incident across the country as Uisce Éireann works side by side with the other responsible agencies and first responders to deal with the impacts.”
“We have welcomed over 120,000 Ukrainians under the temporary protection directive. Looking ahead to our Presidency of the EU, we support Ukraine's EU accession, which we believe to be a crucial element in securing Ukraine's long-term peace and security and the long-term peace and security of the Union. Now is a time for cool heads. We can achieve a lot more through co-operation rather than conflict, and Ireland will continue to work in that manner around the European table and in our engagements around the world.”
“He and his embassy team continue to carry out exemplary work in the face of unbelievable challenges. We remain committed to supporting Ukraine. Since the start of the war nearly four years ago, we have contributed extensive political, humanitarian, military and economic support to Ukraine. Ukraine must be supported to defend itself against this continued aggression to deter future aggression. Ireland has provided €138 million in humanitarian assistance and stabilisation supports and, in 2025, we announced a further funding package of €35.4 million in September and €25 million for restoring energy infrastructure in December. I saw an example of the funding last year when I visited an underground school shelter in Odessa, co-funded by Ireland and Lithuania. We also allocated €200 million in non-lethal military support to Ukraine.”
“It is crucial that any agreement upholds Ukraine's sovereignty and independence, based on respect for the principles of the UN Charter. A just and lasting peace in this conflict is the end objective. It is evident, however, that Russia continues to actively engage in escalatory tactics. Putin's drones and missiles continue to attack innocent civilians and critical energy infrastructure. The attacks have left millions without electricity during harsh winter months that are without comparison to Ireland. We cannot imagine the coldness of people's apartments and houses in many parts of Ukraine at the moment. Ukraine has been forced to declare a state of emergency in the energy sector. I am very conscious as well of the small Irish community in Ukraine and our ambassador in Ukraine, Jonathan Conlon.”
“We need to find a way forward on these issues and this is our priority. When we go to Brussels tomorrow the Taoiseach will emphasise and prioritise the protection of Irish jobs, Irish households and Irish interests. We will work with our European colleagues to meet these challenges and to consider the next steps. Dialogue is still key, and we will continue to engage with the US to convey our clear position on this issue. We must ensure, of course, that Russia's brutal and unjustified war of aggression against Ukraine remains at the forefront of our efforts. Ireland's consistent position has been that it is for the government and the people of Ukraine to determine their future and to agree the terms of any peace agreement.”
“I was intrigued to hear a Sinn Féin Member talk about the protocol to the Lisbon treaty and making all sorts of suggestions about it. If they actually take the time to read the protocol, it directly refutes many of the allegations that Sinn Féin make here week in and week out about a European army and conscription. It specifically states that those things are not happening, so Sinn Féin would do well to read the protocol to the Lisbon treaty rather than just mention it and misdescribe it. The US announcement at the weekend regarding the potential imposition of tariffs on a number of member states and other European partners undermines transatlantic relations. It is incompatible with the trade agreement we signed last summer. This gave certainty for businesses and investments.”
“The EU and its member states have been clear that the future of Greenland is a matter for the Danish people and the Greenlandic people, together with their governments. We have made this clear publicly and privately and these statements have been welcomed by Denmark. The European Union is united in its view that the fundamental principles of international law, territorial sovereignty and integrity must be observed. This is a position that will not change. Sovereignty is not a commodity to be bought and sold. Respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of states is non-negotiable. This is a fundamental principle of the UN Charter and of international law. It is what keeps all countries, large or small, militarily aligned or neutral, safe and secure.”
“We heard from the Opposition the importance of multilateralism. We work those systems to everybody’s benefit. Our EU membership is central to how we ensure Ireland's place in the world and how we amplify our voice and support our values and the interests of our citizens. I will join the Taoiseach in Brussels tomorrow as he meets his fellow leaders for an emergency meeting of the European Council. We will work closely with our European partners. The situation in Greenland is of great concern to Ireland and to EU partners and to Members all around this House. Last week I spoke to the Danish Minister for European Affairs, Marie Bjerre, and I assured her that Ireland stands fully behind Denmark on this issue.”
“I regret the term “traitors” being used in relation to MEPs who take their own democratic decision and who have taken into account their constituents and broad interests. There are two sides to this story. The Government did oppose Mercosur at the Council of the European Union, but it is also the case that the Government has acknowledged that certain sectors would benefit from it. MEPs are entitled to vote and make their own decision without pressure from us or the Opposition. Today's debate comes at a time when our foreign policy faces grave challenges and peace and security are being threatened. Ireland is committed to the international rule of law. The UN is at the heart of the maintenance of international peace and security. We have a strong commitment to multilateralism. We exercise multilateralism every day of the week.”
“I have no doubt that the agendas of future meetings of the European Council will be substantial and of huge importance this year. I look forward to continuing engagement with Deputies in the months ahead.”
“It is something that I have worked on with my colleagues, particularly those in the Spanish Government. We live at a time of significant challenge but we should not forget our strength - our European Union. There will always be setbacks and there will always be things that we do not succeed on, but the EU remains the single greatest peace project in history and a source of economic prosperity to Irish people and European citizens. Ireland has a seat at the Council table and in the Parliament. In looking ahead to our EU Presidency this year, we will continue to use that seat in the interests of Ireland and Irish people. It has been shown over many decades that Ireland working constructively in the European Union, protecting our vital national interests, is the way to economic success and progress in Ireland.”
“Europe must address the shared challenge of unplanned migration. This can be done through collective effort by having a system of responsibility and solidarity regarding the reception and management of protection applicants. Ireland supports ongoing efforts to adopt the Pact on Migration and Asylum and we have opted in to the some of the non-Schengen measures as well as the EU asylum agency. Some of the results of that can be seen in some of the announcements that the Minister, Deputy O'Callaghan, is making. Together with Spain, France and Portugal, Ireland asked the Commission to develop an EU macro-regional strategy for the Atlantic by June of next year with the aim of addressing common challenges in the Atlantic region such as connectivity and economic growth. There is huge potential here.”
“To meet their defence spending targets, some of our EU colleagues are, of their own volition, making drastic and difficult decisions to cut salaries and pensions. I want to be clear that, from my observations and discussions, they are not being driven by ideology. They are not being driven by the European Union. They are being driven by the reality that they, as individual countries, see and face themselves. Russian activity represents an attempt to divide EU member states and, in particular, to weaken our resolve on Ukraine. We fully support all the tools available to deal with these issues. On migration, at the European Council the leaders agreed conclusions on migration. The conclusions took stock of progress in managing unplanned migration and called for intensified work to continue.”
“Even in the period since the last European Council meeting, we have seen further instances of damage or disruption to underseas cables in the Baltic Sea. Ireland is not immune from such threats and we take them extremely seriously. We have seen the increase in hybrid activity directed towards the EU - we have seen that in social media quite a lot - and we are actively and constructively engaging in the development of EU policies aimed at combating hybrid threats, in particular Russia's campaign of hybrid activity. This is a threat to social order and, indeed, to the economies in the European Union. The sense of threat is felt keenly across the European Union. For many of our fellow member states, this threat is ever present. I saw this when I visited Latvia and Lithuania to meet with my EU affairs and defence counterparts.”
“Other issues that the Taoiseach did not address today but which were discussed included European security and defence, migration, the Pact for the Mediterranean, disinformation and foreign information manipulation, and the macro-regional strategy for the Atlantic, which is a new strategy that should be developed between Ireland, France, Spain and Portugal. On the defence issues, it is fairly clear Europe is not at war but we are not entirely at peace either. That is a fair comment that has been made. In December, the European Council condemned recent hybrid attacks against the EU and its member states. The European Council called for accelerated efforts to strengthen resilience, protect critical infrastructure, and to prevent, deter and respond to hybrid attacks in the EU.”
“Two of Sinn Féin's elected representatives went in 2018 as election monitors, not as part of the OSCE or as part of the UN or the EU, but as guests of the Venezuelan Government, to monitor those elections, which were a sham. They then attended his inauguration and now Sinn Féin accuses us of double standards. We saw that Venezuelan people in Dublin certainly said what they thought of Sinn Féin. We support international law, we support the enforcement of international law and we continue to engage with the United States. In relation to Greenland, I will have a call with my Danish counterpart tomorrow. That is an issue we will keep on the agenda. We are in full solidarity with the people of Greenland, in particular, and with the people of Denmark.”
“In relation to Sudan, Sudan has been discussed at the European Council on many occasions, including comprehensive conclusions agreed at the October Council which the European Union is now following up on. Since then, it has been discussed at the Foreign Affairs Council. It is an issue that the Taoiseach raises on a regular basis. We have been accused of double standards in relation to Venezuela but everybody now agrees that Maduro was illegitimately elected. Why then, under Mary Lou McDonald's leadership, were two Sinn Féin members sent, not only to the inauguration of Maduro but to monitor the elections that were described by everybody else as a sham election?”
“-----and the member states were mentioned here, choose to block the invocation of the Hague preferences for this year. This is a protection measure for Ireland. A number of options have been outlined here in the Dáil. No doubt any option will be considered by the Minister of State, Deputy Dooley, but what he is specifically doing is establishing a working group under Food Vision 2030 to develop a framework of support for the sector to address the challenges.”
“I acknowledge that this has had a devastating impact on rural communities. The Minister of State, Deputy Dooley, worked very hard in relation to it, talking to other countries. He went around and visited them and lobbied them-----”
“The fishing was not a good story. That was an outcome not of the European Council the Taoiseach attended but of the Agriculture and Fisheries Council and it will result in severely reduced fishing opportunities for Ireland this year.”
“-----that there is an issue relating to beef farmers in the Mercosur agreement and I have said that all along. There is no question, particularly in relation to price, because that 99,000 tonnes already coming into the European Union will have a lower tariff. That is not in doubt. The Deputies are telling me we should be telling the European MEPs what to do, but what people like Barry Cowen have done, without being told to do it, is to work on safeguards for farmers, whether this comes into effect or not. He has been working diligently. Other MEPs can vote in whatever way they see fit on behalf of their constituents. The factors they will take into account will include places like Eli Lilly and Liebherr; there is no question about that. Eli Lilly is one of the most important pharmaceutical plants with huge potential all round the world.”
“-----and the multinational companies in Little Island in Deputy O'Flynn's constituency. However, I have said all along, and the Government has said this consistently, that there is an issue with beef. Let us be clear what the issue is not, however. The issue is not standards within the European Union because the agreement specifically makes provision, and this continues no matter what way this goes at the end of the day, and it includes of beef that is already coming into the European market and that 99,000 tonnes which are already here. Tariffs are being reduced-----”
“Again, if that company is exporting to Mercosur countries it will experience a huge drop in tariffs and that will create and sustain employment in the Deputies' constituencies and constituencies all over the country.”
“Regarding Mercosur and our MEPs, we do not have a whip on our MEPs; our MEPs can make the decisions. Barry Cowen wrote a really good article where he said he was against it and was voting against it but, in fairness to him, he set out the pros and cons. If an MEP was to vote for Mercosur, they would take into account what the Deputies are saying about beef, I have no doubt, but they would also take into account what may be the most important pharmaceutical plant in the world at present, Eli Lilly in Kinsale, in the constituency of Deputy Michael Collins, which will have a big drop in tariffs as a result of this. They will probably think about Liebherr in Killarney.”
“Briefly, on that last point on Horizon Europe and PEACEPLUS, the discussion is currently under way on the multi-annual financial framework. That is discussed at my council every month and they are two of our most important objectives, along with of course, the Common Agricultural Policy. It is our number one objective to get a fully funded and separate Common Agricultural Policy. The European leaders had a brief discussion on the multi-annual financial framework and they will ultimately decide the budget. In the meantime, we will continue the negotiations and that will climax during our Presidency. I can absolutely assure Deputies the Common Agricultural Policy, Horizon Europe and the PEACEPLUS programme, which benefits the North of Ireland and the Border counties, are very important.”
“I found the relevant article and paragraph and I would not pay too much heed to it, quite frankly. I have no information about it, but I can assure the Deputy that there are no proposals for a European defence pact - none whatsoever - and even if there were, Ireland could not support it without a referendum of the people. That is in the Constitution.”
“There is an element of defence support there, but I can talk about one project I visited, which the Irish Government funded in association with Lithuania and the European Union. It was an underground school to allow children to continue their education during the war and also to give the local community somewhere to go when the bombs rain down on it, which unfortunately they continue to do. Hunger strikers in the UK were not discussed at the European Council. Everyone will have huge empathy for anyone on hunger strike, but it is not a matter I have addressed as Minister of State with responsibility for European affairs and it was not a matter on the agenda of the European Council. Regarding what Deputy Tóibín said, I certainly had no information about it until he mentioned it here. It took me quite a while to find it.”
“In fairness to the European Council and certainly to the Taoiseach, the idea is to get as much aid as possible - a surge of aid - into Gaza. It is badly needed. The European Council called in particular for basic things like shelter, winter equipment and medical items to be allowed in. That is important. We have robust checks on our overseas development aid. I say that to Deputy O'Flynn. It is a very important part of the work we do. Some of it goes to international bodies, some to state entities and some to religious bodies, including a lot of Catholic charities around the world, to make sure people who badly need it get the help and support they need. We are talking about, particularly in relation to Gaza, food and medical supplies, and covers for the winter for the bad weather conditions in Ukraine.”
“If that is okay. I do not want to forget any question if I can avoid it. On Gaza, significant aid was announced by the Minister this week. The European Council discussed the Middle East at some length during the meeting in December. The Irish Government is focused on support for the people there. That is important and the European Council supported the ceasefire, supports the commitment the EU has to a just and lasting peace based on a two-state solution in accordance with the UN Security Council resolutions everyone is only too familiar with. They talk about implementation as well, how we achieve our objectives, stressing the need for rapid, safe and unimpeded delivery and sustained distribution of humanitarian aid at scale into Gaza, including via the Cyprus-Gaza maritime corridor Deputy Seán Crowe mentioned, to supplement land routes.”
“I should remind colleagues as well that a portal is open now at gov.ie for a public consultation on what Ireland’s priorities should be during our Presidency. I welcome every response we get to that consultation. It is very important we hear from as wide a range of people as possible.”
“There will also be a leaders' summit, 22 ministerial meetings and 250 other meetings in Ireland, as well as many meetings in Brussels and Luxembourg. Ireland will also take charge, or, at least, take responsibility for gathering and presenting the EU's position at international events, such as the COP. There will be four COP summits next year. There might be an International Maritime Organization agreement, a World Health Organization agreement and many others. Ireland will actually be taking the lead in those contexts. A huge amount of work is going to happen, much of which will not be seen by the public. It is a huge opportunity to enhance our reputation as a country and to do a good job from the level of the Taoiseach and Ministers to civil servants and all of us.”
“The Euro Summit also welcomed recent progress on the digital euro and stressed the importance of swiftly finishing legislative work and advancing other preparatory steps. EU leaders look forward to welcoming Bulgaria as the 21st member of the euro from the beginning of 2026. I thank and congratulate the Government of Bulgaria on this important milestone, because it takes a lot to achieve euro membership. I thank everybody here for their participation in the discussion. As we ramp up our preparations for the Presidency, I look forward to our continued discussions on the work of the EU as we work to address the most pressing issues of the time. The Presidency is going to be very interesting. We are going to have a meeting of the European Political Community, which will be the largest meeting of its kind ever to be held in Ireland.”
“I wish him every success in his challenges ahead. Exchanges at the Euro Summit focused on the current economic and financial situation. EU leaders welcomed the resilience of the euro area economy despite multiple shocks, as well as price stability. The robustness of the labour market, reflected by record low unemployment, was also welcomed. EU leaders affirmed their unity and commitment to enhancing economic resilience and competitiveness. They invited continued close monitoring by the Eurogroup of economic and fiscal developments in the present geopolitical environment. The Euro Summit also reinforced the political commitment to strengthening the international role of the euro, including its role as a reserve currency and transaction currency, by deepening integration in capital markets and completing the banking union.”
“This Russian interference in Moldova was absolutely off the scale in terms of the amount of money it spent, but it did not succeed. The EU leaders rightly commended Moldova’s achievement. Ireland views the lessons learned in Moldova as vital to countering Russia’s hybrid activity for all of us. Our support for Moldova's EU accession remains solid. As Ireland's EU Presidency approaches, we look forward to further supporting Moldova’s progress on the EU accession path. EU leaders also met in Euro Summit format. They were joined by the president of the European Central Bank, ECB, and the now former president of the Eurogroup, Deputy Paschal Donohoe. I thank him for his leadership as president of the Eurogroup for quite a number of years. He would always come into these meetings. He has hugely enhanced Ireland’s reputation abroad.”
“Ireland has long advocated that this crucial issue needs to be addressed based on strong solidarity and responsibility among member states. The EU migration and asylum pact represents a necessary improvement on the current protection system, as well as a new dawn of burden sharing across the EU. We would like to see sustainable progress on irregular migration, including returns, ideally based on genuine partnerships with countries of origin and transit and a common European asylum system, but one that complies with international law and respect for fundamental rights. The Republic of Moldova was also discussed. That country had a recent parliamentary election and it safeguarded the integrity of its democracy in the face of Russian interference.”
“The European Council also welcomed the recent Commission initiatives on artificial intelligence, AI, and quantum technology, and it urged a high level of ambition in the forthcoming proposals on the EU cloud and AI development. On migration, there are challenges. This issue is now a standing item on the European Council agenda. Leaders welcomed an update from the Commission President on migration patterns and the actions the Commission is taking in response. Ireland believes Europe must address the shared challenge of unplanned migration through collective effort. We have always supported a predictable and flexible system of responsibility and solidarity regarding the reception and management of protection applications. We know well the major burden that front-line states and, indeed, most member states, have borne in recent years.”
“We have dealt with many of the issues that were raised. The October European Council adopted certain conclusions on strengthening and protecting the digital ecosystem, including through reinforced international partnerships and close collaboration with trusted partner countries and international organisations on digital innovation and governance. Leaders stressed the need to address the risks related to hybrid threats and cybersecurity, as well as reducing strategic dependencies. This includes the need to diversify EU sources of critical raw materials, advance the roll-out of connectivity infrastructure, deepen the Single Market for electronic communications and promote the development and deployment of sustainable digital systems. Leaders also stressed the importance of protecting minors in the digital space.”
“I will say this. We had all sorts of scare stories before about the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement a number of years ago. People went to the High Court and everything else. Trade with Canada has massively increased and more people are employed in all our constituencies because of that trade agreement.”
“We have stated our position in the programme for Government that we have serious concerns, and this has not changed. We are working with member states, and this includes my meeting yesterday with the French Government. The Taoiseach has also been in touch with President Macron on a number of occasions about this matter. We want to fully interrogate the draft agreement and make absolutely sure this legally binding safeguards instrument can work for farmers. We are carefully assessing all of this now to understand if it is dealing with the well-known concerns that Deputies have addressed around the House, particularly around farmers and food.”
“We do not have enough people on the island to buy or consume all those products and services, so we sell them around the world and we create economic benefits for all of us and for all the factories in the various constituencies. There are loads of them around Deputy Ó Laoghaire's constituency, as well as in Dundalk, Waterford, my area and everywhere. Those places are selling products and services all around the world. The fundamental starting point, therefore, is that we support trade because it has led to our economic growth. We must also protect our vital interests. There are obviously serious concerns here in relation to agriculture. These are genuine concerns, and we have been talking and listening to farmers on this issue.”
“Mercosur has been raised and it will continue to be raised. There was a vote in the European Parliament on safeguarding measures yesterday and one at the Council of Ministers today. I met my French counterpart yesterday about a number of issues but, obviously, Mercosur was on the agenda. I met the French foreign minister the week before last. It is quite a topic of discussion. Clearly, France is one of the key countries. People have asked us here to continue to work with like-minded countries, and this is exactly what we have been doing. Our starting point for all these trade agreements is that Ireland is pro-trade. Why is this? It is because we make more products and provide more services.”
“We, and all member states, value very strongly that our defence policy is our own policy. Some member states want to have more co-operation, whether that is through NATO, which they have chosen to be a member of, whereas we have not, or through the European Union in terms of getting efficiencies and working together to get value for money. What is happening in many eastern European countries is that choices are being made, choices supported by entire parliaments, to spend more on defence and maybe less on social spending. These are really difficult choices but, quite frankly, countries like Finland, Lithuania and Poland feel backed into a corner that they have to do this because of that serious threat from Russia.”
“-----regarding radar, sonar, equipment and material that we need for our Defence Forces. We absolutely will be spending that money. Our neutrality is well known and well noted but during our Presidency, we will be the independent arbitrator in the Presidency chair for the needs and necessities of all the member states. Defence still remains a member state competency. It is absolutely a member state competency. There are no instructions from the European Union as to what we do. We saw the SAFE mechanism recently, which Ireland certainly facilitated. Ireland did not stop or object to it but Ireland is not taking part in all aspects of it because that is our own sovereign decision. Other countries make their sovereign decisions about these things as well.”
“If the Deputy is criticising Irish taxpayers' money going to the defence industry, the Irish Government will be spending a lot of money on our defence industry and I am glad to see Sinn Féin has seemed to change tack on that today. It seems to now support increased spending on defence from an Irish perspective. It is coming to the Fianna Fáil policy of protecting, but also investing, in neutrality.”