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Official Engagements

Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 10 March 2022

Thursday, 10 March 2022

Questions (17, 19)

Mick Barry

Question:

17. Deputy Mick Barry asked the Minister for Defence if he will report on his discussions with other European Union defence ministers and the European Commission in relation to increasing military spending, further integration of European Union military forces and the role of the European Union military force itself; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13506/22]

View answer

Mick Barry

Question:

19. Deputy Mick Barry asked the Minister for Defence his views on the proposals by the French government to deepen European Union military integration and to increase military spending; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13507/22]

View answer

Written answers

I propose to take Questions Nos. 17 and 19 together.

Within the EU, it is accepted that defence and security is a national competence, including national spending on defence and security. With regard to defence spending domestically, Government policy is determined within the parameters of our national budgetary process and role of Dáil Éireann. 

As part of Ireland's participation in Permanent Structured Cooperation (PESCO), Ireland has committed to regularly increase our defence budgets in real terms in order to reach agreed objectives. This is a commitment to be met over the medium term. The PESCO notification states clearly that PESCO does not prejudice the security and defence policy of the member states; that the member states remain sovereign; and that the commitments will be implemented fully in accordance with the Treaty, its protocols and the constitutional provisions of the Member States. This clear acknowledgement includes PESCO commitments made in relation to defence spending.

Ireland contributes to the funding of common costs for EU military crisis management operations through the European Peace Facility (EPF). The EPF, established in March 2021, replaced the Athena Mechanism and the African Peace Facility. Under the EPF, the Department of Defence has responsibility for the financing of common costs relating to EU military operations under the EU's common security and defence policy (CSDP). The Department of Foreign Affairs has responsibility for the funding of African peace support operations, previously handled by the African Peace Facility, as well as Assistance Measures in order to provide assistance to individual countries and regional or sub-regional organisations.

The European Council agreed in 2021, has a €5bn (€5.7bn in cirrent prices) financial ceiling for the EPF over the seven years of the 2021-2027 MFF. Actual spending of EPF funds require separate unanimous Council Decisions for each operation or assistance measure, such as the recent examples of the EPF Assistance Measures in support of Ukraine. An annual ceiling for each of the seven years is set out in the Council Decision establishing the EPF.

Any calls for increased funding for defence will in the first instance be for national defence spending and for national ministries to decide, but there may yet be concrete proposals for increased EU spending on defence. We will look at those proposals if and when they are tabled. We alone continue to decide on defence investment and deployment of our Defence Forces. The budgetary process and role of Dáil Éireann remains unchanged.

Ireland is Constitutionally prohibited from participation in an EU common defence. The legally binding Irish Protocol to the Lisbon Treaty, ratified by the twenty-eighth amendment to the Constitution, provides that any decision to move to a common defence will require a unanimous decision of the European Council.  It would be a matter for the Member States, including Ireland, to decide, in accordance with the provisions of the Treaty of Lisbon and with their respective constitutional requirements, whether or not to adopt a common defence.

The European Union does not itself possess a military force. EU Battlegroups are multinational, military units which form part of the European Union's military rapid reaction capacity. Member States choose whether to participate and in which Battlegroup to seek to participate. At EU level, their deployment is subject to a unanimous decision by the Council and any Irish deployment with an EU Battlegroup is subject to our own triple lock mechanism. The Strategic Compass includes a proposal for a Rapid Deployment Capacity. While Ireland remains broadly supportive of the concept discussions on the existing Battle Group Concept are still ongoing and it is my view that the result of these discussions should inform any development of this new concept.

The French government has not presented specific proposals on European Union military integration or to increase military spending at EU level.

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