Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 17 January 2019
21. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the key decisions made at the Foreign Affairs Council on 19 November 2018 in relation to PESCO, Civilian Common Security and Defence and the European Defence Fund; and the impact of each of same on Ireland. [1802/19]
View answerThe Foreign Affairs Council (FAC) meeting of Defence Ministers was held in Brussels on 19th and 20th November last. There was a joint session between Foreign Affairs and Defence Ministers on the afternoon of Monday 19th, and two sessions with Defence Ministers the following morning.
Altogether there were three working sessions over the course of the meeting, chaired by the High Representative, Ms Federica Mogherini. The three sessions dealt with a range of ongoing developments in relation to EU Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP); specifically the way forward for the recent defence initiatives at EU-level and consideration of the EU's CSDP missions and operations.
The Council Conclusions agreed on 19th November outline the key outcomes of the meeting. These include; the Civilian CSDP Compact, a review of the Military Planning and Conduct Capability, PESCO, CARD, and the European Defence Fund (EDF).
In relation to PESCO, the Council Conclusions highlighted positive progress to date and the ongoing discussions around Third State participation in PESCO. The adoption of the Council Decision establishing the second tranche of PESCO projects was also included. Ireland participates in 2 projects and is an observer in 6 PESCO projects.
Ireland played a central role in the preparation and agreement of the Civilian CSDP Compact, which is a vital element in the implementation of all strands of the EU’s Global Strategy. The Council Conclusions welcomed the agreement on the establishment of the Civilian CSDP Compact. As part of our own commitment to the process, in 2018 the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade commissioned a mapping exercise to establish best practice across Member States so that we can enhance our own recruitment, training and deployment processes.
In the Conclusions the Council adopted its position on the EDF (partial general approach). The objective is to strengthen the global competitiveness and innovation capacity of the EU's defence technological and industrial base. The Council Conclusions also agreed to support, in particular, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) in this space.
I welcome the progress made in relation to EU defence and security, and acknowledge that the security of the EU depends on our joint cooperation with our EU partners. Outcomes of the November FAC will inform the work of the EU in the area of security and defence for the coming year. Ireland will continue to engage in the EU's defence and security initiatives as they progress throughout 2019.
