Paul Murphy Questions Ireland's Role in EU Ukraine Training Mission
Paul Murphy challenged the minister over Ireland's participation in the EU military training mission for Ukrainian forces, arguing it breaches military neutrality and should be decided by Dáil Éireann. The minister defended the decision as consistent with military non-alignment while saying Ireland is entitled to take sides and called for evolution of the "triple lock" mechanism.
Allegation of breach of neutrality
Paul Murphy pointed to EU statements and a fact sheet describing the mission - including operational training up to battalion level, collective manoeuvres, tactics and live firing - and cited Joseph Borrell's report that up to 15,000 Ukrainian soldiers would be trained. He contrasted Ireland's participation with Austria's refusal on grounds of neutrality and asked how training one side in a war is not participation in that conflict.
Minister's defence of participation
The minister replied that providing training and funding through the European Peace Facility is not a breach of military neutrality. He argued Ireland remains non-aligned militarily but is "absolutely entitled to take sides," and said failing to support Ukraine would effectively be siding with the oppressor. The minister urged greater criticism of the aggressor rather than of the country defending itself.
Scope of EU meetings and defence work
The minister summarised the recent Foreign Affairs Council in Defence Ministers' format in Brussels, outlining agenda items including the EU military assistance mission in support of Ukraine, possible CSDP engagement in Nigeria, Operation Atalanta, the EU rapid deployment capacity and the financial situation of the European Peace Facility. He also described attendance at the European Defence Agency steering board and the coordinated annual review on defence covering spending, planning and cooperation.
Constitutional and procedural concerns raised
Paul Murphy pressed for a Dáil vote and suggested the Oireachtas should consider a joint committee to ensure compliance with Article 29 obligations to pursue peaceful resolution of disputes. He sought an explicit guarantee that Irish personnel would be limited to tasks such as demining and asked whether that role might expand. The minister said he would discuss how the triple lock should evolve given the risk of UN Security Council vetoes by P5 members and reiterated there was no proposal to change long-standing military non-alignment.
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Minister, on Tuesday last week you met with your counterparts at the EU Defence Minister's meeting in Brussels, the Council launched the EU training mission of the Ukraine Armed Forces, Joseph Borrell, High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policies reported as saying up to 15,000 Ukrainian soldiers would be trained in different European member states, Austria has decided not to participate because it is a neutral state, yet Ireland is participating in a full-spectrum military training mission of an army that is involved in a war, how is that not a breach of neutrality? It is not a breach of neutrality, just like us providing funds through the European Peace Facility to help Ukrainian defence forces protect their people and themselves, it is not a breach of neutrality either. We are non-aligned militarily, Deputy, but we are absolutely entitled to take sides. And in my view, if we had not taken sides in this war, we would effectively be taking the side of the oppressor, and I do not believe that the Irish people would support that course of action. The most recent Foreign Affairs Council in Defence Minister's format took place in Brussels on the 15th of November. There were three items on the agenda, a working session on current affairs, a working session on defence capabilities and operational realities, and a working lunch focusing on informal exchanges of views with the Minister for Defence of Ukraine and the NATO Secretary-General Jan Stoltenberg. The current affairs session covered a range of topics, including the EU military assistance mission in support of Ukraine, possible CSDP engagement in Nigeria, Operation Atalanta, the EU rapid deployment capacity and the current financial situation of the European Peace Facility. The second working session marked the first annual ministerial discussion on defence capabilities and operational realities, as committed to in the framework of the strategic compass. The meeting closed with a working lunch and informal exchange of views focusing on Russian aggression against Ukraine, including its global implications. The Ukrainian defence minister participated by VC to brief ministers on the latest developments, as well as the Ukrainian priorities needed on the ground. In advance of the Foreign Affairs Council and Defence Minister's format, I attended the meeting of the European Defence Agency's steering board, where ministers exchanged views on the main findings of the 2022 coordinated annual review on defence report on the areas of defence spending, defence planning and defence cooperation. I do want to hear from the Minister, because what is happening is a full-scale military training mission. To quote from the EU Council press statement, it is to enhance the military capability of the Ukrainian armed forces. To quote from the fact sheet, it includes operational training, preparation of companies, battalions and brigades in collective manoeuvres and tactics up to battalion level, advice on the planning, preparation and conduct of live firing exercises. I do not see how participating in military training of an army that is involved in a war is not a breach of military neutrality. That is why Austria is not participating, because they are militarily neutral. I presume the Minister will say, oh, we are just going to be involved in training and demining. Can you give a guarantee that that is all Irish troops will be involved in, or can this expand? Do you not accept that there should be a vote in Dáil Éireann about participation in a conflict? Participation in any war requires a vote in Dáil Éireann under the constitution. Training one side in a war surely constitutes participation. Would you agree, Minister, that taking your comments recently on the triple lock and the fact that we are now going to be part of a military training mission and military funding in a war situation, rather than participating in peacekeeping, that it would be timely for the Oireachtas to set up a joint Oireachtas committee to see how best Ireland can fulfil its constitutional obligations under Article 29, which specifically commit ourselves to a peaceful resolution of international disputes? Minister, you have less than one minute. Yes, Deputy, I spoke about this last night in the Shannon at some length. I have already given a very clear commitment to the Committee on Foreign Affairs that I would discuss with them the way in which I believe the triple lock mechanism should evolve. I do not believe that it is okay to continue on the basis of relying on a UN Security Council mandate to send Irish troops abroad if that mandate may be blocked by the use of the veto, given current tensions between P5 member states in the Security Council. I do not believe that Russia or China or any other P5 member should have a veto over where Irish troops go. That is all. We are not proposing to change the long-standing policy of military non-alignment and military neutrality. And we are not breaching that either in the context of helping Ukraine to defend itself against aggression. I would like to see this house be more critical of the aggressor here rather than the country that is trying to defend its own people. That has a capital city that is 70% in the dark last night because of the deliberate targeting of civilians Minister, we are way over time. By a country that you do not seem to be willing to criticise. Answer the question. Will you give a guarantee it is only demining? Instead, Deputy, you are focused on criticising an Irish government decision to help a country to defend itself and its own people. Thank you. The last control is now standing. That is the end. Thank you.
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