Dáil Éireann Debate, Friday - 16 December 2016
559. Deputy Lisa Chambers asked the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the extent to which defence discussions within the EU are fragmenting into bilateral and mini-multilateral frameworks; and his views on the extent to which these conversations are taking place outside formal European structures. [40578/16]
View answerDiscussions within the EU, in the area of defence and security take place in the context of the Common Security and Defence Policy for which decisions require the unanimous approval of all member States. These discussions take place at regular meetings of Heads of State and Government, at Ministerial level meetings and through Council preparatory bodies. It is not unusual for member States in bi-lateral or multilateral formations to discuss priority areas where they would hold views in common, often resulting in joint papers that set out their priorities for consideration as part of discussions on future developments in the area of security and defence. These engagements are informal in nature and do not prejudice the formal decision making processes that exist.
Within the EU, it is accepted that defence and security is a national competence and that any decisions require unanimity. Ireland continues to have a strong and equal voice on defence issues within the EU institutions. The treaties require that the EU respects the specific and different policies of Member States in the area of security and defence and that has not changed.
