Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 25 November 2015
139. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Defence in view of the French Minister for Defence having invoked article 42.7 of the Lisbon Treaty, if Ireland will be deploying troops to assist France without a vote in Dáil Éireann; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42033/15]
View answerFollowing the invoking of Article 42.7 of the Treaty on European Union by the French Defence Minister Jean-Yves Le Drein, at the recent meeting of EU Defence Ministers in Brussels, it is expected that the framework within which the French authorities will request the aid and assistance required, military and otherwise, will be clarified in the coming days. I will report to Government in due course on any potential Defence Forces contribution. It goes without saying that any potential contribution will be considered within the framework of the Irish Constitution and Irish law.
