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European Council Meetings

Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 13 May 2021

Thursday, 13 May 2021

Ceisteanna (24, 27)

Colm Burke

Ceist:

24. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Defence if the role of the Defence Forces in combatting Covid-19 was a topic that was discussed at the meeting of the EU Foreign Affairs Council which met in defence Ministers’ configuration in Brussels on 6 May 2021; if so, the outcome; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25081/21]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Seán Haughey

Ceist:

27. Deputy Seán Haughey asked the Minister for Defence if he will provide a report on the meeting of European Union defence Ministers on 6 May 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24911/21]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

I propose to take Questions Nos. 24 and 27 together.

I attended the recent EU Foreign Affairs Council meeting in Defence Ministers’ configuration on the 6th of May where there were three main items on the Agenda including Current Affairs (updates on the Sahel, Mozambique and Ukraine), a discussion on the Crisis Management pillar of the Strategic Compass, and a lunch meeting with the NATO Secretary General on co-operation in theatres of Operation (in particular OP ALTHEA and OP IRINI, as well as a discussion around Afghanistan.)

The role of Member States Defence Forces in combatting COVID-19 was not an agenda item at this meeting and was therefore not discussed. It has been a topic at previous EU meetings at ministerial level.

During discussions on the Sahel, I foregrounded Ireland’s stabilisation efforts on the ground in Mali, both through our peacekeeping contribution to MINUSMA and with the EU Training Mission in Mali (EUTM). I also emphasised that Ireland’s focus on embedding with larger Member States is a good template which allows us to make a significant commitment to a wider range of peacekeeping operations.

With regard to the Strategic Compass, I reiterated Ireland's belief in the continued need for consensus in relation to CSDP decision making and the desirability of avoiding any general use of the constructive abstention provisions of the treaties. Consensus which supports unanimity of decision making promotes greater solidarity across the Union as a whole. I also drew attention to the importance of the force generation process in ensuring the EU is capable of fulfilling its military missions and operations.

The informal working lunch with the NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg presented EU Ministers of Defence with an opportunity to engage on the topic of cooperation in theatres with partners such as NATO. The primary focus was on areas of mutual interest such as the Western Balkans and the Central Mediterranean. Ireland currently has four Defence Forces personnel deployed with EUFOR Operation Althea in Bosnia and Herzegovina and three with EUNAVFOR MED Operation IRINI.

EU Ministers of Defence also endorsed the recently agreed Council Conclusions on Security and Defence in advance of their formal adoption by Foreign Affairs Ministers, and approved three Council Decisions relating to the participation of Norway, Canada and the United States in the PESCO project on Military Mobility.

In advance of the EU Foreign Affairs Council in Defence Ministers’ configuration I attended the EDA Steering Board and following that I attended the EU Satellite Centre (SatCen) Ministerial Board Meeting.

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