Gerard P. Craughwell Questions NATO Role in EU Presidency Security
Gerard P. Craughwell pressed for clarity on how Ireland will secure its upcoming presidency of the European Union, asking whether NATO would be asked to provide protection. He argued that if NATO involvement represents a change in policy the public and this chamber must be told, and called on the government to stop media speculation.
Craughwell noted that Ireland takes over the presidency of the European Union in July next year and said media speculation has focused on the state's ability to provide necessary security. He warned the speculation follows years of what he described as the decimation of the Defence Forces, even as he acknowledged some hopeful signs and "green shoots" in parts of the service.
He directly asked whether Ireland is turning to NATO to provide security for the presidency and whether such a decision would amount to a change in Irish policy. He said the government must "come clean now" and set out exactly what the plan is for managing the presidency and who will provide security.
Craughwell recalled a recent meeting involving the Department of Foreign Affairs, the Gardaí and the Department of Defence and said the chamber needs certainty. He urged that the Thornestown Minister for Defence be invited to the chamber to lay out the plans for presidency security.
He stated that if the reports are false they must be called out as such, and if they are true the citizens have a right to know. Craughwell also reiterated his long-held positions in the chamber, including support for eliminating the triple lock and for engaging with other Defence Forces for training purposes.
Presidency security concerns
Craughwell noted that Ireland takes over the presidency of the European Union in July next year and said media speculation has focused on the state's ability to provide necessary security. He warned the speculation follows years of what he described as the decimation of the Defence Forces, even as he acknowledged some hopeful signs and "green shoots" in parts of the service.
Questions on NATO involvement
He directly asked whether Ireland is turning to NATO to provide security for the presidency and whether such a decision would amount to a change in Irish policy. He said the government must "come clean now" and set out exactly what the plan is for managing the presidency and who will provide security.
Calls for ministerial briefing
Craughwell recalled a recent meeting involving the Department of Foreign Affairs, the Gardaí and the Department of Defence and said the chamber needs certainty. He urged that the Thornestown Minister for Defence be invited to the chamber to lay out the plans for presidency security.
Media speculation and public right to know
He stated that if the reports are false they must be called out as such, and if they are true the citizens have a right to know. Craughwell also reiterated his long-held positions in the chamber, including support for eliminating the triple lock and for engaging with other Defence Forces for training purposes.
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Transcript
Go here look and leader. In July of next year we take over the presidency of the European Union. The media has been rife with speculation with respect to our ability to provide security for the presidency. It is something I've spoken on for 11 years in this chamber, the decimation of the Defence Forces. There is green shoots in some parts of the Defence Forces and there is hopeful signs. Can you imagine the embarrassment of Ireland if we cannot host a meeting of Prime Ministers in this country because we don't have the security resources? Or is the speculation in the in the media accurate? Are we turning to NATO to provide security for the presidency of the European Union? And if we are turning to NATO, is that a change in Irish policy? The government needs to come clean now and lay out exactly what the plan is with respect to how we manage the presidency of the European Union. Who will provide the security? We had a meeting last week with three arms of the government, the Department of Foreign Affairs, the Gardaí and the Department of Defence. We need certainty. I've always been a supporter of eliminating the triple lock, for example. I've always been a supporter of engaging with other Defence Forces throughout the world. It's good for training. But if there is a change in policy, the Irish people have a right to know that. And I believe that the time has come for this chamber to invite in the Thornestown Minister for Defence and ask him to lay out the plans there are. And if we are asking a NATO state to provide the security that this country needs to host a prestigious event like the presidency of the European Union, then the citizens of this country have a right to know. And we need to get that clear once and for all. Or stop the speculation in the media. It's either truth or it's false. If it's fake news or false information, we need to call it out for what it is.