Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal North East, Sinn Fein)
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8. To ask the Minister for Defence his plans for the Defence Forces to participate in any EU battle group in the near future; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20053/14]

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal North East, Sinn Fein)
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The question is self-explanatory. I am seeking an update on any plan the Minister has for the Defence Forces to participate in further EU battle groups.

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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Following Government approval, Ireland will participate in the Nordic battle group in 2015 and the German led battle group in 2016. The Nordic battle group will comprise Sweden, acting as Framework Nation, Finland, Norway, Estonia and possibly Lithuania and Latvia. The German led battle group will comprise Germany, acting as Framework Nation, Luxembourg, Austria, the Czech Republic and the Netherlands. The planned Defence Forces contribution to each battle group will be a reconnaissance company and related combat support elements. It is also planned that Ireland will also take command of a multinational reconnaissance group headquarters, providing Ireland with a more significant role within these battle groups. The total number of Defence Forces personnel involved in both the Nordic and German led EU battle groups will be approximately 175. However, this level of resource commitment will only arise should the battle group be called on to undertake an operation and should Ireland agree to participate. The number of personnel involved leading up to and during the standby period may be in the region of 14 for the Nordic battle group and ten for the German led battle group. These personnel, mainly staff officers and NCOs, will be engaged in training and planning activities serving in various appointments and posts.

Any deployments of the above battle groups would be subject to the triple lock.

Participation in EU battle groups underlines our commitment to the development of CSDP and enables us to continue to contribute effectively to UN-authorised EU military and civilian crisis management operations in support of international peace and security.

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal North East, Sinn Fein)
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It is not the Minister's perspective on these matters, and I presume if he had his way he would like to end Ireland's neutrality, but there are concerns about the creeping militarisation of the European Union over many years. Only six EU states are not full members of NATO. A recent report stated that "the NATO Response Force and EU battle groups are complementary, mutually reinforcing initiatives" and called for efforts to maximise synergies between them. The Minister is aware that Denmark and Malta do not take part in these battle groups. Does he have any plans to adhere to the wishes of the Irish people and not have Ireland involved in these battle groups? That would send a clear signal, and this is aligned to Deputy Daly's question on the issue of Shannon, that we are genuinely a neutral country. That would reinforce the point Deputy Ó Fearghaíl made about conflict resolution. If we were not aligned to NATO forces internationally it would give us credibility in terms of being in a position to deal with conflict resolution.

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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As the Deputy knows, we are part of the European Union, something to which his party is opposed. We engage in the Common Security and Defence Policy, with which his party disagrees. We will continue to participate as we do, which is to the benefit of our Defence Forces. We will continue to make a contribution. It is always interesting that the Deputy knows what the majority of the Irish people think on these issues. I can tell the Deputy that in the context of the role battle groups have played, what they have done and our engagement in them has ensured that our Defence Forces reach a particularly high level of training that is important to them and assists them when they are engaged in UN sanctioned missions, and there is no intention of changing the approach.

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal North East, Sinn Fein)
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Our Defence Forces can gain the same expertise taking part in what they have done historically, namely, solely UN peacekeeping missions, without being aligned to NATO forces in these EU battle groups. I quoted from the report the hope and ambition of some people who oversee these matters at European level. This is part of what the Minister does. He accused Deputy Daly of supporting Osama bin Laden. I cannot even find a word to describe that type of assertion. In terms of Sinn Féin and the European Union, we are running four candidates in the four constituencies. I am hopeful we will elect all four, no doubt assisted by the Minister's performance in his ministerial portfolio.

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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I am open to correction but I think the Deputy's party has advocated a "No" vote in every referendum held relating to the European Union. His party conveniently put forward candidates for the European Parliament while opposing the very existence of the European Union repetitively whenever given the opportunity to do so. Sinn Féin is quite happy to look in two different directions simultaneously.

Regarding battle groups, as would be evident from the Deputy, some of the European Union states that participate in battle groups are neutral. Other neutral states find no difficulty in participating and contributing to Common Security and Defence Policy, and to engaging. The Government does not have any intention of changing policy in that regard.