Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 1 April 2004
64 Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Defence the implications for defence spending here of the 2010 EU military harmonisation deadline agreed in October 2003; if the cost projections have been done; if so, if he will report on the results; if not, when that will be done; and if they will be published. [10421/04]
View answerDefence and defence policy is a fundamental expression of national sovereignty. In that context, defence spending is a matter for the Government and has to be undertaken in a prudent and balanced fashion having due regard to the prevailing national socio-economic environment.
The Government's White Paper on Defence, published in February 2000, set out a medium term strategy for defence covering the period up to 2010. A major objective of the strategy is to ensure that Ireland has a world class military organisation capable of carrying out the roles assigned to it by the Government, both at home and abroad. This objective requires an ongoing modernisation process, including an investment programme to ensure that the Defence Forces are properly equipped for these roles. It would be wrong to suggest that this investment programme, which is necessary regardless of Ireland's participation in the European Security and Defence Policy, arises from our commitments to the Helsinki Headline Goal.
Participation in ESDP will have the minimum possible implications for the Exchequer. In seeking to modernise the Defence Forces, I have been fully conscious of the need to obtain the best possible efficiencies from existing resources. For example, the disposal of assets has been used as a method of financing our re-equipment programme, while the planning and review process of Partnership for Peace has been used as the forum for enhancing the ability of the Defence Forces to operate effectively with contingents from other countries on Petersberg Tasks type operations. In this way the Defence Forces have been able to make a valuable contribution to peace support operations from within existing resources. In relation to financing of Petersberg type operations, Ireland favours maximising a system of financing operations on the basis of costs lie where they fall. This is the basis on which Ireland successfully participates in KFOR and SFOR, and I would envisage that our participation in similar Petersberg Tasks type operations in the future will be similarly financed.
In addition, I am supportive of measures which may emerge within the European Security and Defence Policy which could lead to future efficiencies in defence spending, for example following the creation of an agency in the field of defence capabilities development, research, acquisition and armaments as agreed by the Thessaloniki European Council in June 2003. In its mandate on European Security and Defence Policy, the Irish Presidency was given the task "to set goals for the further development of European military capabilities for crisis management with a horizon of 2010, with a view to the June 2004 European Council". Discussions have been ongoing at EU level in relation to defining a headline goal 2010 and these issues will be further progressed at the informal meeting of Defence Ministers, which I will chair, in Brussels on 5 and 6 April next.
The setting of a new goal of 2010 will include further examination of ways of improving capabilities. In particular, I welcome measures which may improve efficiencies, including appropriate qualitative aspects of member states contributions to the headline goal. It will be important also that lessons learned from the first EU operations are included in this process.
National sovereignty and voluntarism are the fundamental underlying principles of participation in the European Security and Defence Policy, ESDP. Participation in any specific operation by member states is decided on a case-by-case basis and in accordance with respective national decision making procedures. The White Paper process has illustrated how efficiencies can be achieved from within existing resources. I am not planning increases in defence expenditure nor do I propose to advocate that other countries increase their military spending. This remains a national decision.
