I understand that the European Parliament's Committee on Foreign Affairs, Security and Defence Policy recently adopted a report on the challenges facing the European defence-related industry, but that the report has not yet been considered by the European Parliament in plenary session. The main thrust of the report in support of a European armaments policy is not new: the European Parliament has, over the years, repeatedly advocated the development of European armaments co-operation. The European Parliament is of course competent to consider and make recommendations on these issues, although they remain primarily within the purview of the member states.
The Government's approach to the issue of armaments derives in the first instance from our strong and enduring commitment to disarmament and arms control. Our primary concern, therefore, will be to ensure that any developments in this area are consistent with our priorities in disarmament and arms control and our overall approach to international peace and security. We wish to ensure also that any development of co-operation related to armaments includes a strengthening of arms export control policies at the level of the European Union. The Government will continue to work for enhanced EU co-operation on arms export policy to achieve the maximum possible transparency and restraint in arms transfers.
As regards the Western European Union's nuclear policy, this is a matter for the Western European Union full members in the context of their mutual defence commitment and, therefore, does not arise in the context of the relationship between the EU and Western European Union. In relation to the development of the Western European Union as an instrument for the implementation of aspects of the European Union's common foreign and security policy, I recall that this is already provided for in Article J.4.2 of the Maastricht Treaty, which was signed in 1992 by the current leader of Fianna Fáil on behalf of the Irish Government and subsequently ratified by the Irish people in a referendum.