Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 21 November 2023
40. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence the extent of his recent discussions with his EU colleagues in regard to defence and security; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50870/23]
View answerThis question seeks to ascertain the degree to which we can expect any improvement, encouragement, or financial contribution from our European colleagues regarding defence and security, given the extensive shoreline for which this country has responsibility and that we are living in a time of many challenges from many sources.
I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. Russia's ongoing military aggression against Ukraine has fundamentally altered the security situation in Europe. It has also demonstrated the need for Ireland and our European Union partners to work closely together to deal with the serious security challenges that we face. Since my appointment as Minister for Defence, I attended the Foreign Affairs Council meeting in defence configuration, which took place in Brussels in May, and I also attended the informal defence ministerial meeting at the end of August, which took place in Toledo in Spain. I have also used the opportunities of these meetings to hold a number of short bilateral discussions with colleagues. Unfortunately, I was unable to attend the most recent Foreign Affairs Council defence ministers' format in Brussels on 14 November. Ireland was, on that occasion, represented by Ireland's ambassador to the Political and Security Committee of the European Union along with officials from my Department. Topics discussed included the EU’s support to Ukraine, the EU Rapid Deployment Capacity, the adoption of the mandate of CSDP missions in the Sahel, the conflict in the Middle East and the renewal of the mandate of Operation Althea. I look forward to engaging with EU colleagues further at upcoming defence ministerial meetings in the new year.
Earlier this year, I also attended the 59th Munich Security Conference, which was attended by a large number of defence ministers from the EU and beyond. The focus there was largely on the international response to the war in Ukraine. In my capacity as Minister for Foreign Affairs, issues of defence and security are a regular element of the Foreign Affairs Council agenda, where I meet with my ministerial counterparts on a monthly basis. Recently topics have included Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine; the Sahel; the Middle East; the Southern Caucasus; and the Western Balkans.
I thank the Tánaiste. Can I ask the extent to which discussions have taken place with our EU colleagues with a view to speeding up the degree of support which may be available in the event of a rapid attack from some quarter, given as the Tánaiste has said, the situation in Ukraine and how quickly it happened and with no warning? It might be necessary to have some further assistance from our European colleagues in order to defend our own infrastructure in the event of an incursion.
I am not anticipating a rapid attack right now-----
It could happen.
-----and as the Deputy knows we have a position of non-alignment. We are not members of NATO, and we have no plans to join, and the Constitution prohibits any European Union common defence pact, or Ireland's participation in any EU common defence pact. There is a broader provision in the EU where EU member states may come to the assistance of another EU member state that comes under attack but that has never been defined in any great clarity as to how that would manifest itself. Suffice it to say, on the Report of the Commission on the Defence Forces, we acknowledge that we need to significantly improve capability in respect of our observation and control of maritime airspace and defence systems. We have a significant distance to go, although the two C295W aircraft we have recently purchased are a very significant addition in maritime surveillance from the air and there will be more.
The variety of potential threats, such as drug running - and our congratulations go to the Defence Forces on their tremendous success in recent times in this area - also underlines the necessity to prepare for an ongoing attack on incursion in that area, and that at all times it is now necessary to make preparations well in advance and to try to ensure our defence systems have the technology, personnel, and the air, sea, and land equipment to deal with any such situation as it arises and to deal with it firmly. I ask that particular attention be given to the variety of potential threats at the moment.
I think it would be fair to say that we have engaged through our individual partnership for peace, the renewal of that individually tailor-made programme with NATO in the context of Partners for Peace, with which we have been involved since 1999.
The areas we have prioritised with PESCO are subsea cables and infrastructure, critical infrastructure and cybersecurity. The big attack we had in this country in the past three years was that on the health service by the Conti group, a criminal operation in Russia, which basically paralysed our health service. We are conscious of the need to make sure that we have a robust, resilient situation in terms of subsea cables.
The Deputy is correct in terms of his overall question. That will require collaboration with other member states of the European Union, and we are also a member of NATO in the context of cybersecurity. We share expertise, learn from and work with others to deal with common threats. The two key ones for us are subsea cables - and eventually offshore wind infrastructure, which will be a huge economic asset - and cybersecurity.
