GOVERNMENT RAMMING

THROUGH PESCO TO DRAG US

INTO EU ARMY
Richard Boyd Barrett TD, has condemned the government
with the support of Fianna Fail for tabling a Dail motion
this Thursday for Ireland to join the EU PESCO agreement
on advanced military and defence cooperation.

We Must Insist On Our Neutrality! The Government Can Just Go F%*k Themselves!

Deputy Boyd Barrett, who is a member of the Dail Business committee, will
strongly protest at the attempt to table and vote on this motion this Thursday
despite the fact that this was not agreed at last weeks Business Committee.

Deputy Boyd Barrett said: It looks like there may be collusion between Fine
Gael and Fianna Fail to ram through the decision to join PESCO and that it is
a supremely cynical move to dramatically increase arms spending and erode
Irish military neutrality, without any public debate, using the cover of the
current Brexit drama.

Deputy Boyd Barrett pointed out that the PESCO agreement requires
participating member states to regularly increase defence budgets and
increase the share of expenditure allocated to defence research and
technology with a view to reaching 2% of total spending.
Richard Boyd Barrett said, This would mean a dramatic increase in Irish
Defence spending from the current level of 0.5% (900 million) to close to 4
billion annually. This would commit Ireland to taking billions away from solving
the current housing and health emergencies to spend on weapons. Its
absolutely outrageous that this is being done without any serious public
debate whatsoever.

It really looks like the government may have done a cynical deal with the EU
that, in exchange for European support on the Brexit negotiations, Ireland will
sign up to a deal that involves us in a plan to advance the project of a
European Army, increasing arms expenditure and significantly strengthening
the European Military Industrial Complex.

A quadrupling of Irish arms expenditure from 0.5% to 2% is every bit as

economically and socially significant and damaging as the potential estimated
impact of Brexit, yet while there is wall to wall debate about Brexit, there is no
public or media discussion about PESCO and the government are trying to
ram it through without anyone noticing.

We need to ring the alarm bells about PESCO urgently and I would appeal to
the media also to start shining a spotlight on this hugely significant and
disgraceful move.

http://www.pbp.ie/government_ramming_through_pesco_to_drag_us_into_eu_ar
my

Poll: Do you want Ireland to

sign up to the EU defence
deal?
The Taoiseach has said the deal will not affect Irelands neutrality but
opposition TDs think otherwise.
December 7, 17

Image: RollingNews.ie
THERE HAVE BEEN numerous concerns raised in the Dil
over the Cabinets approval for Ireland to join Pesco, the
EUs new defence pact.
Some argue Pesco is the first step towards an EU army, with
its proposals including inclusion in the European medical
command, a network of logistic hubs across Europe and a
creation of a European crisis response centre, as well as the
joint training of military officers.
The Taoiseach, however, has maintained that signing up to
the deal will not challenge Irelands neutrality and will not
mean Ireland joining a European army.
Varadkar said that Ireland can join in an opt-in, opt-out
basis. The opposition meanwhile said that a vote on the
matter was rushed through the Dil in a deeply cynical
move.
So, today were asking you: Do you want Ireland to sign
up to the EU defence deal?

Poll Results:
http://www.thejournal.ie/poll-defence-ireland-3736583-Dec2017/

To: An Taoiseach, Leo

Varadkar
No To An EU
Army
AA
Campaign created by
Afri Action

Do not support in any way, financially or with our

defence force personnel, the deepening
militarisation of the EU.
Why is this important?
The EU should not be acquiring military capabilities or
competences - it is not a military organisation and neutral
member states such as Ireland should not be expected to
support in any way a military infrastructure that is incompatible
with the peaceful resolution of international disputes. Ireland
should continue its tradition of peacekeeping within UN-
mandated operations only and should refuse to participate in or
support increasingly militaristic EU operations as well as ever
growing military expenditure.
https://my.uplift.ie/petitions/no-to-ireland-supporting-a-military-force-in-the-
eu
Don't want our neutrality jeopardised because the eu say so! We have an army
that do fantastic work peacekeeping abroad they should not be put at risk under
German or French say so.
Our corrupt politicans are selling us out. We had a peace keeping army and neutrality. Next
we will have a murderous army. Whats it all for? It's to control you, vaccinate you, poison
you, capture you, enslave you, chip you. That's right you will be microchipped soon like a
dog and society will be cashless. When it's cashless your money will be controlled by a
microchip in a plastic card until the microchip in your body takes over that purpose too.
WAKE UP
This is in front of your own eyes and you don't yet see it. If you do nothing then you might
as well be an accomplice for them

THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK WITH THE HELP OF THE STATE!

THE BACKGROUND

The last British soldier left Southern Irish shores in 1922 and as many would say, with it went the end of a
savage empire and good riddance to it. However, 2017 has seen the return of British Security forces
personnel and loyalist paramilitaries to the very heartland of this country and with it a very serious
diplomatic problem for the state according to allegations made by sources who were close to event.

No individual names for the UK and Northern Ireland based eviction team or any of the other security companies in
this report are used in this report as it could create a dangerous and life-threatening situation however all of the
individuals in the eviction process have been clearly identified by sources close to them. Photographs are also
intentionally blurred for the above reasons.

This report has uncovered a disturbing and ominous means of family home evictions now being undertaken by the
banks, the County Registrars, County Sheriffs and An Garda, but most especially with the Courts Service operating
under the already disgraced Department of Justice and Equality. In effect, what has happened is that a new version of
the Black and Tans lite is the new weapon of choice for the authorities responsible for evictions of families from
their homes at the behest of the banks.

We all know that any mention of the Black and Tans is a very emotive one for many Irish people, however we must
put the finger of blame fairly and squarely on the Banks, the government and those that aid them in this shameful act
of betrayal that is foisted upon vulnerable men, women and children.

Ireland is in a truly sorry state, in that the Department of Justice and Equality, the Courts Services and their agents
have adopted the tactics of some of the most notorious and evil individuals to have ever set foot in Ireland. It is clearly
the intention of this and previous governments to deprive families of a home while adding them to the growing list of
people made intentionally homeless by government policy.

THE EVICTION
The couple who were evicted did not want their real names or address used in this report.

Paul and Karen, live in Cork along with their five young children. The couple fell behind in their mortgage
repayments as did thousands of other families through no fault of their own. Paul and Karen were not deserving of the
shameful treatment that was to shortly face them.

In October 2017 Paul, his wife and his children were aggressively evicted from their family home by a team of up to
24 UK and Northern Irish based bailiffs, most of whom are alleged to be currently serving and ex-members of the
British Army, the PSNI, and the Northern Irish Prison Service and who were acting as bailiffs for the Cork County
Sheriff and the Courts Service, who it is alleged employed them.

This UK and Northern eviction team were supported throughout the process by ex-members of both An Garda
Siochana and the Irish Defence forces micro managing the eviction process on another family once again.

According to local reports, the Cork County Court Messenger, the County Sheriff, a large number of Garda and the
UK and Northern bailiffs turned up at Paul and Karens home at 11am or thereabouts and broke into the house while
the family were out.
It is alleged that the Garda entered the house along with the Sheriff, while the security team also entered the house
and other members of the team locked down the perimeter using male and female dog handlers and their guard dogs.
The female dog handler is one of whom are alleged to work for the Prison Service of Northern Ireland. The bailiffs
wearing mobile CCTV cameras then planted anti-intrusion perimeter devices and CCTV cameras to protect the
surrounds of the house as well as automatic shutter devices on the windows. It is also alleged that the house had been
under surveillance for a number of days in order to ascertain the movements of the family in and out of the house.

It is further alleged that the Cork County Sheriff, the Court Messenger and senior Garda had locally met with a
representative of KBC Mortgage Bank in advance to plan the eviction details as well as meeting with directors of a
security company who it is further alleged micro managed the actual eviction itself. Sources allege that one security
company involved had been at the centre of a now of controversial building of a gas pipeline that saw many locals and
protestors arrested and jailed for protesting against the against a major oil corporation in the west of Ireland. It is
further alleged that this security company was also employed and involved in providing surveillance on anti-
water protesters several years ago.

The bailiffs were backed up by several members of An Garda Siochana on their arrival at the house. Sources allege
that G4S security were once again involved with the initial subcontracting of the security contract to the two Irish
based security services contractors, however this has not been confirmed or denied by any party involved in the
eviction.

What is quite clear is the involvement by the Garda in support of the continued occupation of the family home by the
Northern and UK based bailiffs, and this became very apparent when Paul eventually returned to the house to pick up
his childrens clothes.

Paul was arrested by up to ten members of local Garda and backed up by the Armed Support Unit within twenty
minutes of a call being made by the Northern Irish bailiffs. Paul was almost immediately taken to court after the DPP
set up a special court hearing and charged him with trespass. The judge eventually set him free after he had signed a
bail bond and reluctantly agreed not to return to the house, to which he didnt.

What is more shameful in this day and age is the fact that five innocent young children were left standing on the side
of the road, unable to get access to school uniforms, toys and day to day clothing while their mother begged with the
Northern security team to get access to same, their home now under siege by men and women dressed like
stormtroopers that the children probably only ever saw on sci-fi movies.

More heartbreaking was that these terrified and innocent children had to attend school in the same clothes the
following day, open to be ridiculed by their classmates, neighbours and friends all knowing the situation by now and
completely traumatised by the events of the previous day.

Later, a local solicitor attempted to intervene on behalf of the family and was successful in negotiating the retrieval of
some clothes for the children. In the interim the family were put up by family and friends and that remains the case to
date.

In a distasteful turn of events, Individuals close to the evicted couple allege that the KBC Mortgage Bank
representative had directly harassed, threatened the family in a series of telephone calls made to the couple during the
eviction and even up to very recently. This was the extremely harrowing and traumatic for the whole family according
to sources who were constantly with them during the horrific events.

This family were now the testbed for the new method of intimidation and aggressiveness by the Banks and Courts
Service, obviously believing that the Black and Tan method would send a message out to those prepared to stand up
to them during the eviction process.

HIGH COURT PROCEEDINGS

Paul and Karen had taken high court proceedings in the form of an injunction against the eviction order. The family
and others who have seen the affidavits have since alleged that the affidavits handed to Judge Paul Gilligan in the
High Court were fundamentally flawed and misled the judge into refusing the injunction.

In a further Affidavit from the banks barrister, an ex-parte motion was sought by KBC Mortgage Bank to increase
security at the family home as they feared that attempts to take back the family home by people concerned with the
familys welfare was about to happen. The order was duly granted by Judge OConnor in the High Court and security
beefed by even further by the Northern Bailiffs. There was and had been no attempt or threat to enter the house or
land by any party, according to local sources.
Investigations into the eviction of the family reveal a very serious departure by the authorities from their existing
business model by introducing a much more dangerous element than has been previously used in the eviction
process by the Courts Service and the County Sheriffs.

The Courts Service are clearly complicit in introducing parties who are reported to be serving and ex-members of the
UK security forces and those with alleged East Belfast paramilitary links, into an already simmering situation that is
the eviction process.

This journalist has seen a list of the individuals names, UK & Northern Irish phone numbers of the twenty-six-person
bailiff team directly involved in the eviction itself. One Northern Irish source when contacted has alleged that some of
the bailiffs involved are understood to have been directly recruited from East Belfast.

DISTURBING EVENTS

In what is also a very disturbing development in this story, is that ex-members of An Garda Siochana are reported to
be the link men and recruiters for these individuals. One report alleges that an ex-member of An Garda Siochana
living in the west of the country has entertained the same Northern based bailiffs on more than one occasion at his
own home and has been seen socialising with them on several occasions.

It quite clear that some retired members of An Garda Siochana are actively involved and in fact run the eviction
processes that happens throughout the country on behalf of the Court Service and ultimately the banks. The public
image of An Garda Siochana is already shattered, but thanks to some of its retired members is now further tarnished
by allegations of collusion with British state security forces while operating as state sanctioned court bailiffs in this
country.

It is perhaps noteworthy that this story is in a similar vein to the now notorious attempted eviction in Corofin in
County Clare last year, whereby a team of bailiffs consisting of serving Irish Army personnel and other security
personnel, led by ex-Garda detective Michael Murphy attempted an illegal eviction on a mans home and backed up
by Garda, one of whom took an active part in the attempt, as was clearly seen on video taken on the day by the Anti-
Eviction groups.

The video has been viewed on YouTube just under three and a half million times worldwide and is still available for
viewing on many Facebook pages and YouTube.

WHO IS TO BLAME?

It is very clear where the blame lies for the use of alleged British security services personnel and loyalist
paramilitaries in this eviction and that blame lies firmly at the door of the Department of Justice and Equality, the
Courts Service and the Cork County Sheriff and KBC Mortgage Bank in this case as they are ultimately responsible
for undertaking all aspects of every execution order including the security aspect.

One individual with an interest in the case commented that this is the last resort for the Courts Service, County
Registrars and the County Sherriffs as their backs are to the wall, and given and that no legitimate Irish based
security company wants to get involved in the eviction process after that amateur attempt in County Clare last year.
She went on to say That they have nowhere to go after this one. The Courts Service and the Sherriff have taken the
eviction game down to a very dangerous level and it will come back to bite them.

Further to last years attempted eviction in County Clare, a security company run by a Galway based individual set up
a London brass name plate address for a new security company and has been seen to continue to work in an area of
the security industry that is shameful at the very least. This individual and his partners were also involved in the
attempted eviction of Tommy Collins in Corofin and another family home in Cloonlara last year according to
sources.

The Galway based security company director is a known tax defaulter and was named in the Revenue Commissioners
quarterly tax defaulter list for failing to make any tax returns. In an almost laughable and ironic turn of events, this
individual is alleged to have set up a Go Fund Me page to raise funds for a sleepout for the Homeless in Galway.
His Go Fund Me page has since been deleted after anti-eviction groups found his page online.

When contacted by a member of the Anti-Eviction Taskforce the individual initially denied any involvement but
eventually conceded that he was involved in the most recent eviction of the family from their home. However, this
particular individual and his company are one of many security companies involved in eviction management but they
are only small fry in comparison to the UK and Northern Irish based bailiffs that have arrived on our doorsteps,
according to the Anti-Eviction Taskforce when contacted for a statement on the event.
According to other groups involved in the anti-eviction campaign, a spokesperson stated that We know exactly who
was involved in the Paul and Karens eviction and every one of these players are well known to us and the other
groups involved in saving families from eviction at this stage. These individuals can expect to be publicly named and
shamed if they continue to play a part in the eviction process, so they cant say that they havent been warned. The
battle is going to be taken to their own doorsteps, where their neighbours, family, friends and the public will know
what nastiness they are involved in. They show no mercy so why should we?

The spokesperson also went on to say, On-going investigations into the link between four retired members of An
Garda Siochana who are also alleged to co-ordinate the eviction process throughout the country (from a security point
of view) are also underway and these individuals will be named and publicly shamed in light of what they do.

DIRTY WORDS

Family home evictions are dirty words and an equally sweep it under the carpet ploy, cleverly ignored by politicians,
many of whom also share the blame here. Just as they ignore the families living in cars or tents in the Phoenix Park or
the man or woman wrapped up in cardboard in the doorway on Kildare Street or any other city, town or village in the
country. However, there can be no ignoring evictions from family homes and the people in authority wholly
responsible for them.

How can the system be equitable given that Judges, County Registrars and Sheriffs are in debt, in some cases to the
tune of hundreds of thousands to the very same banks that they often give a judgement in favour of or carry out an
eviction on behalf of?

Perhaps an in-depth investigation into the lifestyles of these individuals is warranted to reveal what grip the banks and
other elements have over their decision-making ability and process in relation to giving an eviction order and carrying
out an execution order.

Serious questions must also asked of the local senior Garda management and more essentially the Minister and the
Department of Justice and Equality, when they (Garda) actively participated in the pre-planning and management of
the execution order along with the Northern bailiffs, and most likely in the full knowledge and awareness of their
alleged military and paramilitary backgrounds. Evictions are essentially a civil matter and the Garda are only
required to be in attendance should a breach of the peace occur. This was clearly not the case for the Garda who
attended the eviction and actively took part and continue to take part in the process.

Homelessness is the buzz word doing the rounds right now in cases of rent arrears or landlords using the need to
renovate excuse, however the country will be facing a far greater homelessness crisis if 32,000 more families in
serious mortgage arrears are cruelly evicted onto the streets with nowhere to go. That is 32,000 households - an
average of 130,000 more men, women and children extra, potentially sleeping under cardboard on the streets.

Where are the government going to house these families? The answer is nowhere You are on your own as are over
8,000 other homeless people living in temporary accommodation, in cars or on the streets will attest too.

3,194 of these homeless people are innocent children!

Words on a report such as this will never do justice to the terrible injustices happening behind your backs. The
Government departments mentioned in this report and their hired agents have developed an appetite for intimidation
using physical assaults, while thriving on people's fear and publicly adding to embarrassment of being evicted from
their homes while doing it in true Black and Tan style!

Why should the banking system be allowed to use valuable and taxpayer funded state resources to carry out evictions
on their behalf when evictions are clearly a matter of complete responsibility for the banks themselves? Without State
intervention, evictions don't and won't work...

The use of state resources in these matters needs to be stopped immediately and the banks suffer let the consequences
when it goes wrong instead of hiding behind the protective cloak of the state.

An individual close to the Paul and Karens eviction put it all in perspective when he stated: Let us send ex-members
of the Defence forces and retired Garda who want to play at being security men to East Belfast to try evict a family
from Sandy Row and see how that works out for them!

NEXT ARTICLE: HOW THE BANKS AND THE LAW FRATERNITY REALLY CONTROL THE IRISH
JUSTICE SYSTEM - THEIR DIRTY LITTLE SECRET IS OUT!

THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK WITH THE HELP OF THE STATE!

THE BACKGROUND

The last British soldier left Southern Irish shores in 1922 and as many would say, with it went the end of a
savage empire and good riddance to it. However, 2017 has seen the return of British Security forces
personnel and loyalist paramilitaries to the very heartland of this country and with it a very serious
diplomatic problem for the state according to allegations made by sources who were close to event.

No individual names for the UK and Northern Ireland based eviction team or any of the other security companies in
this report are used in this report as it could create a dangerous and life-threatening situation however all of the
individuals in the eviction process have been clearly identified by sources close to them. Photographs are also
intentionally blurred for the above reasons.

This report has uncovered a disturbing and ominous means of family home evictions now being undertaken by the
banks, the County Registrars, County Sheriffs and An Garda, but most especially with the Courts Service operating
under the already disgraced Department of Justice and Equality. In effect, what has happened is that a new version of
the Black and Tans lite is the new weapon of choice for the authorities responsible for evictions of families from
their homes at the behest of the banks.

We all know that any mention of the Black and Tans is a very emotive one for many Irish people, however we must
put the finger of blame fairly and squarely on the Banks, the government and those that aid them in this shameful act
of betrayal that is foisted upon vulnerable men, women and children.

Ireland is in a truly sorry state, in that the Department of Justice and Equality, the Courts Services and their agents
have adopted the tactics of some of the most notorious and evil individuals to have ever set foot in Ireland. It is clearly
the intention of this and previous governments to deprive families of a home while adding them to the growing list of
people made intentionally homeless by government policy.

THE EVICTION
The couple who were evicted did not want their real names or address used in this report.

Paul and Karen, live in Cork along with their five young children. The couple fell behind in their mortgage
repayments as did thousands of other families through no fault of their own. Paul and Karen were not deserving of the
shameful treatment that was to shortly face them.

In October 2017 Paul, his wife and his children were aggressively evicted from their family home by a team of up to
24 UK and Northern Irish based bailiffs, most of whom are alleged to be currently serving and ex-members of the
British Army, the PSNI, and the Northern Irish Prison Service and who were acting as bailiffs for the Cork County
Sheriff and the Courts Service, who it is alleged employed them.

This UK and Northern eviction team were supported throughout the process by ex-members of both An Garda
Siochana and the Irish Defence forces micro managing the eviction process on another family once again.

According to local reports, the Cork County Court Messenger, the County Sheriff, a large number of Garda and the
UK and Northern bailiffs turned up at Paul and Karens home at 11am or thereabouts and broke into the house while
the family were out.

It is alleged that the Garda entered the house along with the Sheriff, while the security team also entered the house
and other members of the team locked down the perimeter using male and female dog handlers and their guard dogs.
The female dog handler is one of whom are alleged to work for the Prison Service of Northern Ireland. The bailiffs
wearing mobile CCTV cameras then planted anti-intrusion perimeter devices and CCTV cameras to protect the
surrounds of the house as well as automatic shutter devices on the windows. It is also alleged that the house had been
under surveillance for a number of days in order to ascertain the movements of the family in and out of the house.

It is further alleged that the Cork County Sheriff, the Court Messenger and senior Garda had locally met with a
representative of KBC Mortgage Bank in advance to plan the eviction details as well as meeting with directors of a
security company who it is further alleged micro managed the actual eviction itself. Sources allege that one security
company involved had been at the centre of a now of controversial building of a gas pipeline that saw many locals and
protestors arrested and jailed for protesting against the against a major oil corporation in the west of Ireland. It is
further alleged that this security company was also employed and involved in providing surveillance on anti-
water protesters several years ago.

The bailiffs were backed up by several members of An Garda Siochana on their arrival at the house. Sources allege
that G4S security were once again involved with the initial subcontracting of the security contract to the two Irish
based security services contractors, however this has not been confirmed or denied by any party involved in the
eviction.

What is quite clear is the involvement by the Garda in support of the continued occupation of the family home by the
Northern and UK based bailiffs, and this became very apparent when Paul eventually returned to the house to pick up
his childrens clothes.

Paul was arrested by up to ten members of local Garda and backed up by the Armed Support Unit within twenty
minutes of a call being made by the Northern Irish bailiffs. Paul was almost immediately taken to court after the DPP
set up a special court hearing and charged him with trespass. The judge eventually set him free after he had signed a
bail bond and reluctantly agreed not to return to the house, to which he didnt.

What is more shameful in this day and age is the fact that five innocent young children were left standing on the side
of the road, unable to get access to school uniforms, toys and day to day clothing while their mother begged with the
Northern security team to get access to same, their home now under siege by men and women dressed like
stormtroopers that the children probably only ever saw on sci-fi movies.

More heartbreaking was that these terrified and innocent children had to attend school in the same clothes the
following day, open to be ridiculed by their classmates, neighbours and friends all knowing the situation by now and
completely traumatised by the events of the previous day.

Later, a local solicitor attempted to intervene on behalf of the family and was successful in negotiating the retrieval of
some clothes for the children. In the interim the family were put up by family and friends and that remains the case to
date.

In a distasteful turn of events, Individuals close to the evicted couple allege that the KBC Mortgage Bank
representative had directly harassed, threatened the family in a series of telephone calls made to the couple during the
eviction and even up to very recently. This was the extremely harrowing and traumatic for the whole family according
to sources who were constantly with them during the horrific events.

This family were now the testbed for the new method of intimidation and aggressiveness by the Banks and Courts
Service, obviously believing that the Black and Tan method would send a message out to those prepared to stand up
to them during the eviction process.

HIGH COURT PROCEEDINGS

Paul and Karen had taken high court proceedings in the form of an injunction against the eviction order. The family
and others who have seen the affidavits have since alleged that the affidavits handed to Judge Paul Gilligan in the
High Court were fundamentally flawed and misled the judge into refusing the injunction.

In a further Affidavit from the banks barrister, an ex-parte motion was sought by KBC Mortgage Bank to increase
security at the family home as they feared that attempts to take back the family home by people concerned with the
familys welfare was about to happen. The order was duly granted by Judge OConnor in the High Court and security
beefed by even further by the Northern Bailiffs. There was and had been no attempt or threat to enter the house or
land by any party, according to local sources.

Investigations into the eviction of the family reveal a very serious departure by the authorities from their existing
business model by introducing a much more dangerous element than has been previously used in the eviction
process by the Courts Service and the County Sheriffs.

The Courts Service are clearly complicit in introducing parties who are reported to be serving and ex-members of the
UK security forces and those with alleged East Belfast paramilitary links, into an already simmering situation that is
the eviction process.

This journalist has seen a list of the individuals names, UK & Northern Irish phone numbers of the twenty-six-person
bailiff team directly involved in the eviction itself. One Northern Irish source when contacted has alleged that some of
the bailiffs involved are understood to have been directly recruited from East Belfast.

DISTURBING EVENTS

In what is also a very disturbing development in this story, is that ex-members of An Garda Siochana are reported to
be the link men and recruiters for these individuals. One report alleges that an ex-member of An Garda Siochana
living in the west of the country has entertained the same Northern based bailiffs on more than one occasion at his
own home and has been seen socialising with them on several occasions.
It quite clear that some retired members of An Garda Siochana are actively involved and in fact run the eviction
processes that happens throughout the country on behalf of the Court Service and ultimately the banks. The public
image of An Garda Siochana is already shattered, but thanks to some of its retired members is now further tarnished
by allegations of collusion with British state security forces while operating as state sanctioned court bailiffs in this
country.

It is perhaps noteworthy that this story is in a similar vein to the now notorious attempted eviction in Corofin in
County Clare last year, whereby a team of bailiffs consisting of serving Irish Army personnel and other security
personnel, led by ex-Garda detective Michael Murphy attempted an illegal eviction on a mans home and backed up
by Garda, one of whom took an active part in the attempt, as was clearly seen on video taken on the day by the Anti-
Eviction groups.

The video has been viewed on YouTube just under three and a half million times worldwide and is still available for
viewing on many Facebook pages and YouTube.

WHO IS TO BLAME?

It is very clear where the blame lies for the use of alleged British security services personnel and loyalist
paramilitaries in this eviction and that blame lies firmly at the door of the Department of Justice and Equality, the
Courts Service and the Cork County Sheriff and KBC Mortgage Bank in this case as they are ultimately responsible
for undertaking all aspects of every execution order including the security aspect.

One individual with an interest in the case commented that this is the last resort for the Courts Service, County
Registrars and the County Sherriffs as their backs are to the wall, and given and that no legitimate Irish based
security company wants to get involved in the eviction process after that amateur attempt in County Clare last year.
She went on to say That they have nowhere to go after this one. The Courts Service and the Sherriff have taken the
eviction game down to a very dangerous level and it will come back to bite them.

Further to last years attempted eviction in County Clare, a security company run by a Galway based individual set up
a London brass name plate address for a new security company and has been seen to continue to work in an area of
the security industry that is shameful at the very least. This individual and his partners were also involved in the
attempted eviction of Tommy Collins in Corofin and another family home in Cloonlara last year according to
sources.

The Galway based security company director is a known tax defaulter and was named in the Revenue Commissioners
quarterly tax defaulter list for failing to make any tax returns. In an almost laughable and ironic turn of events, this
individual is alleged to have set up a Go Fund Me page to raise funds for a sleepout for the Homeless in Galway.
His Go Fund Me page has since been deleted after anti-eviction groups found his page online.

When contacted by a member of the Anti-Eviction Taskforce the individual initially denied any involvement but
eventually conceded that he was involved in the most recent eviction of the family from their home. However, this
particular individual and his company are one of many security companies involved in eviction management but they
are only small fry in comparison to the UK and Northern Irish based bailiffs that have arrived on our doorsteps,
according to the Anti-Eviction Taskforce when contacted for a statement on the event.

According to other groups involved in the anti-eviction campaign, a spokesperson stated that We know exactly who
was involved in the Paul and Karens eviction and every one of these players are well known to us and the other
groups involved in saving families from eviction at this stage. These individuals can expect to be publicly named and
shamed if they continue to play a part in the eviction process, so they cant say that they havent been warned. The
battle is going to be taken to their own doorsteps, where their neighbours, family, friends and the public will know
what nastiness they are involved in. They show no mercy so why should we?

The spokesperson also went on to say, On-going investigations into the link between four retired members of An
Garda Siochana who are also alleged to co-ordinate the eviction process throughout the country (from a security point
of view) are also underway and these individuals will be named and publicly shamed in light of what they do.

DIRTY WORDS

Family home evictions are dirty words and an equally sweep it under the carpet ploy, cleverly ignored by politicians,
many of whom also share the blame here. Just as they ignore the families living in cars or tents in the Phoenix Park or
the man or woman wrapped up in cardboard in the doorway on Kildare Street or any other city, town or village in the
country. However, there can be no ignoring evictions from family homes and the people in authority wholly
responsible for them.
How can the system be equitable given that Judges, County Registrars and Sheriffs are in debt, in some cases to the
tune of hundreds of thousands to the very same banks that they often give a judgement in favour of or carry out an
eviction on behalf of?

Perhaps an in-depth investigation into the lifestyles of these individuals is warranted to reveal what grip the banks and
other elements have over their decision-making ability and process in relation to giving an eviction order and carrying
out an execution order.

Serious questions must also asked of the local senior Garda management and more essentially the Minister and the
Department of Justice and Equality, when they (Garda) actively participated in the pre-planning and management of
the execution order along with the Northern bailiffs, and most likely in the full knowledge and awareness of their
alleged military and paramilitary backgrounds. Evictions are essentially a civil matter and the Garda are only
required to be in attendance should a breach of the peace occur. This was clearly not the case for the Garda who
attended the eviction and actively took part and continue to take part in the process.

Homelessness is the buzz word doing the rounds right now in cases of rent arrears or landlords using the need to
renovate excuse, however the country will be facing a far greater homelessness crisis if 32,000 more families in
serious mortgage arrears are cruelly evicted onto the streets with nowhere to go. That is 32,000 households - an
average of 130,000 more men, women and children extra, potentially sleeping under cardboard on the streets.

Where are the government going to house these families? The answer is nowhere You are on your own as are over
8,000 other homeless people living in temporary accommodation, in cars or on the streets will attest too.

3,194 of these homeless people are innocent children!

Words on a report such as this will never do justice to the terrible injustices happening behind your backs. The
Government departments mentioned in this report and their hired agents have developed an appetite for intimidation
using physical assaults, while thriving on people's fear and publicly adding to embarrassment of being evicted from
their homes while doing it in true Black and Tan style!

Why should the banking system be allowed to use valuable and taxpayer funded state resources to carry out evictions
on their behalf when evictions are clearly a matter of complete responsibility for the banks themselves? Without State
intervention, evictions don't and won't work...

The use of state resources in these matters needs to be stopped immediately and the banks suffer let the consequences
when it goes wrong instead of hiding behind the protective cloak of the state.

An individual close to the Paul and Karens eviction put it all in perspective when he stated: Let us send ex-members
of the Defence forces and retired Garda who want to play at being security men to East Belfast to try evict a family
from Sandy Row and see how that works out for them!

NEXT ARTICLE: HOW THE BANKS AND THE LAW FRATERNITY REALLY CONTROL THE IRISH
JUSTICE SYSTEM - THEIR DIRTY LITTLE SECRET IS OUT!

This is wrong on so many levels...

France is the fifth biggest arms manufacturer in the world. Many of the guns and bombs
killing human beings on this planet every single day originate in France. Macron wants to
sell arms, so he pretends to be Leo's best pal. Varadkar has promised to massively
increase spending on military hardware in line with his plans to get us involved with the EU
army...
France's export of arms was 5.6% of the worlds total exports between 2011 and 2015. It
sold $18 billion worth of defense equipment in 2015, an increase from $9.1 billion in 2014. The
French government has shares in top companies such as Airbus and Thales group. These companies
have the advantage of diversity in capabilities. They can manufacture weapons for use in air, sea,
and land. This fact has established France as a manufacturer of highly specialized equipment. The
main destinations for its exports are Saudi Arabia, UAE, Singapore, and Australia.
Other top countries claiming a market share of the global arms exports are Germany (4.7%), UK
(4.5%), Spain (3.50%) and Italy (2.7%).
All these countries want Ireland involved in pesco/EU army. Do you think France ... Germany ...
Spain ... Italy care about homelessness in Ireland?
PESCO debate, Paul Murphy discovers he is blocked from accessing Shannon Watch and
The Irish Anti War Movement from within the Dil
https://www.facebook.com/RevolutionIreland/videos/1
721867164532272/?hc_ref=ARTMi2-
iRZ3GSSeMiTBlYb7FECOsKjarIdGJRCETQGVBBrXEr
cvIjesrkxpX64_B3gE&fref=nf
PESCO - Further Erosion of Irish Neutrality
Sun, 26/11/2017 - 18:44 by shannonwatch

The Irish Government has given the go-ahead for Ireland to take part in an EU security and defence
pact called Permanent Structured Co-operation (PESCO). This is one of the most important decisions
this Fine Gael / Independeny Alliance government will make. As such there should have been serious
debate on the issue, with all points of view presented, in the mainstream corporate media. This has not
been the case; the media has largely ignored this further erosion of Irish neutrality, just as it continues
to ignore the use of Shannon Airport by US troops.

The clear aim of PESCO is to develop the EU's military capabilities and to make them available for EU
military operations. These missions are not confined to peacekeeping missions, and would allow the EU
to intervene in conflicts such as those in Libya and Syria, outside of UN and NATO structures. PESCO is
largely being driven by France and Germany, both key members of NATO. In fact the strategic aims of
PESCO are inseparable from those of NATO.

The Minister for Defence has already confirmed that the Government has approved a proposal to notify
the EU of our intention to participate in PESCO. Like many other organisations and individuals in
Ireland, Shannonwatch are outraged by this decision.

Thanks to PANA for compiling these articles and analysis of PESCO:

1. In a European Council article about the recent signing up to PESCO a number of things become
evident: (1) the NATO dimension; (2) the necessity to increase defence spending ("regularly increasing
defence budgets in real terms in order to reach agreed objectives"); and (3) that the Petersberg Tasks
(a list of military and security priorities incorporated within the EU's Security and Defence Policy) are
not as innocent at portrayed. The underlying thread of supporting the arms industry is also a huge
point.

2. Also this article from French TV notes the following:

"EU officials insist this is not just bureaucratic cooperation, but real investment that will help develop
Europe's defense industry and spur research and development in military capabilities that the bloc
needs most".

The article notes that EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini said the move would complement
NATO's security aims. The EU, she said, "has tools to fight hybrid warfare - the use of conventional
weapons mixed with things like propaganda and cyber-attacks - that the military alliance does not have
at its disposal."

3. An article from a German news site notes that Mogherini described the signing of PESCO as a
"historic moment in European defense". The decision to launch PESCO indicates Europe's move towards
self-sufficiency in defense matters instead of relying solely on NATO. The EU, however, also stressed
that PESCO is complimentary to NATO. 22 of the EU's 28 countries are NATO members.

It should also be noted that NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg welcomed the launch of PESCO,
saying that he saw it as an opportunity to "strengthen the European pillar within NATO." Stoltenberg
had previously urged European nations to increase their defense budget.

"I'm a firm believer of stronger European defense, so I welcome PESCO because I believe that it can
strengthen European defense, which is good for Europe but also good for NATO," Stoltenberg said.
4. Finally here's a link to an interesting document re EU/NATO Council Conclusions on the
Implementation of the Joint Declaration by the President of the European Council, the President of the
European Commission and the Secretary General of NATO.

The Lisbon Treaty and Structured Cooperation

Enhanced cooperation was a phrase much used during the Nice Treaty. It is a mechanism allowing a
group of States to forge ahead in an aspect of EU development that not all Member States may be
ready or willing to join in. Critics of enhanced cooperation point to the fact that it could lead to a two-
tier, two-speed Europe, with an elite corps moving to closer integration while others were left outside,
in a lesser status.

The Irish Government made much of the fact, during the Nice debate, that enhanced cooperation -
while applying to some aspects of EU foreign policy - did not apply to defence matters.

The Lisbon Treaty changed all that. In addition to the fact that the previous exclusion of enhanced
cooperation in the field of defence in Article 27b (Treaty of European Union) was dropped, Member
States may now establish 'Structured Cooperation' among themselves on military matters.

Article 28 A(6) states

"Those Member States whose military capabilities fulfil higher criteria and which have made more
binding commitments to one another in this area with a view to the most demanding missions shall
establish permanent structured cooperation within the Union framework."

This cooperation is governed by several provisions and a Protocol on Structured Cooperation.

Those Member States with 'more binding commitments' are now allowed to set up permanent military
structures within the EU institutions. Those wishing to establish such mini-alliances must inform the
European Council and the foreign affairs/security High Representative, and the Council will approve the
Structured Cooperation and the list of participating Member States by qualified majority vote.

Admission of new members to the Structured Cooperation shall also be determined by QMV but only the
Member States already participating in Structured Cooperation can vote.

In other words, Ireland could be opposed to the establishment of Structured Cooperation by a group of
States but not be able to veto it. In addition, Article 28 E(6) states:

"The decisions and recommendations of the Council within the framework of permanent structured
cooperation, other than those provided for in paragraphs 2 to 5 [dealing with admission, suspension or
withdrawal of membership] shall be adopted by unanimity. For the purposes of this paragraph,
unanimity shall be constituted by the votes of the representatives of the participating Member States
only"

, i.e. the functioning of Structured Cooperation is subject to unanimity but only the states taking part in
the Structured Cooperation can vote. There is a lack of clarity as to what this section means in practice.
What sort of 'decisions' and 'recommendations' are to be decided upon exclusively by this vanguard EU
military grouping.

Furthermore, Article 28 C allows the Council to "entrust the implementation of a [Petersberg] task to a
group of MemberStates which are willing and have the necessary capability for such a task'. The
'management of the task' shall be agreed among themselves and the High Representative.
Klaus Heeger, legal adviser to the Independence/Democracy group in the European Parliament and an
expert on the EU treaties, sent PANA the following analysis:

"According to the Treaty of Lisbon, the implementation of Common Security and Defence Policy by a
group of Member States is to be distinguished from Structured Cooperation. Therefore, structured
cooperation can be considered as more far-reaching". He goes on to say that because the treaty
provisions and the specific Protocol on Structured Cooperation "don't clarify this point, it remains
unclear to what extent the member states having established structured cooperation can define their
own defence policies and commitments within the 'Union framework'." There must also be questions
raised about control and accountability for what could be military actions carried out in the EU's name.

Structured Cooperation is also subject to a Protocol in the Treaty. It states that the EU's Petersberg
Tasks shall be undertaken using capabilities of the member States "in accordance with the principle of a
single set of forces".

It is very difficult to argue that the Structured Cooperation forces are not in fact an EU army.

Expanding the Petersberg Tasks

PANA has argued that the Petersberg Tasks are already broad enough to include every military mission
up to and including waging war. The original tasks of humanitarian, rescue and peace-keeping and
peace-enforcement missions have now been expanded into joint disarmament operations, military
advice and assistance tasks and post-conflict stabilisation. In its European Security Review (July 23,
2004), the Brussels-based International Security Information Service (ISIS) stated that joint
disarmament operations "could include anything from providing personal security to UN inspectors to
full scale invasions la Iraq".

The Irish Government can of course make great play of the following paragraph in the Protocol on
Permanent Structured Cooperation. This wording has been contained in every EU Treaty since
Maastricht:

"the common security and defence policy of the Union does not prejudice the specific character of the
security and defence policy of certain Member States".

This is taken to refer to the neutral states in the EU. However, the next two paragraphs say the
following:

"Recalling that the common security and defence policy of the Union respects the obligations under the
North Atlantic Treaty of those Member States which see their common defence realised in NATO, which
remains the foundation of the collective defence of it members, and is compatible with the common
security and defence policy established within that framework; Convinced that a more assertive Union
role in security and defence matters will contribute to the vitality of a renewed Atlantic Alliance, in
accordance with the Berlin Plus arrangements [sharing EU/NATO assets]."

Contributing to the "vitality of a renewed" NATO and stating that the EU's common security and defence
policy is compatible with NATO's should hardly be the goal of a neutral state.

The Protocol goes on to state that the EU may assist the UN if requested in peacekeeping and peace-
enforcement missions but no where does it state that a UN mandate would be a pre-requisite for any
Structured Cooperation operation. Any Member State wishing to participate in permanent Structured
Cooperation must "intensively develop its defence capacities"; "have the capacity to supply by 2010 at
the latest, either at national level or as a component of multinational force groups, targeted combat
units for the missions planned, structured at a tactical level as a battle group,..."; and shall undertake to
cooperate on the "level of investment expenditure on defence equipment", "bring their defence
apparatus in line with each other as far as possible", increase interoperability, cooperate on capability
development..."without prejudice to undertakings in this regard within NATO", and develop major joint
equipment programmes in the framework of the new European Defence Agency.

http://shannonwatch.org/blog/pesco-
further-erosion-irish-neutrality

Debate Needed on PESCO

Sun, 03/12/2017 - 22:30 by shannonwatch

The Fine Gael / Independents government is to propose to the Dail this coming week that Ireland join
the EU's Permanent Structured Cooperation on security and defence (PESCO). This will mean a new EU
Defence budget starting at over 1.5 billion a year (up from 590 million). Each participating EU state,
including Ireland, will be required to reach an average of 2% of its GDP to ensure that the EU becomes
a global military power.

As a result, Ireland will have to increase its military expenditure by 2020. According to the Phoenix
Magazine (1/12/17) the Government is seeking a leap in defence spending from the current 946
million in 2018 to around 3 billion plus by 2020. This is likely to result in major cuts in other areas such
as the health sector.

Shannonwatch supports calls by PANA and other organisations to have a serious and open debate
before this decision is made. Despite the rhetoric coming from supporters of PESCO, increased spending
on weapons and military affairs will not improve our security. Indeed it has little to do with fighting
terrorism or extremism, and more to do with the emergence of a military-industrial complex within the
EU. Its stated aim is to jointly develop defense capabilities, invest in shared projects and enhance the
operational readiness and contribution of their armed forces. As such it is a significant step towards the
formation of an EU army.

As noted by Afri earlier this week, the single greatest action that Ireland can take in order to combat
terrorism is to withdraw the facilities of Shannon Airport from the US military for use in wars of
aggression, wars which have played a major part in increasing the global terrorist threat in the first
place.

If Ireland signs up to PESCO it will further erode our long-standing and valued policy of neutrality. But
the government appear intent on pushing this through without giving the Irish people an opportunity to
consider the consequences. And they are likely to do so with the support of the Fianna Fail party.

Shannonwatch opposes Ireland's integration into all EU/US/NATO military structures. Joining PESCO is a
very major step in that integration.

http://shannonwatch.org/blo
g/debate-needed-pesco
SHANNON AIRPORT AND 21ST CENTURY WAR
Edited by John Lannon and Roger Cole
http://www.shannonwatch.org/sites/shann
onwatch.org/files/docs/ShannonWatch_Boo
k_2015.pdf
Another Day in Court for Four Peace Activists
Wed, 22/11/2017 - 18:06 by shannonwatch

Four peace activists appeared in court today at Ennis Circuit court. Two travelled from Dublin, one from
Waterford and one all the way from Limerick. Their legal team from the Pat Finucane Centre travelled
from Belfast and Cork to represent two of the peace activists.

The decision not to use local legal representatives is based on experience of past peace activist trials.
While in theory there should be clear separation and independence between the judiciary, the
prosecution, and legal representatives for defendants, in practice these three are sometimes too closely
associated.

Today was the twelfth time Colm Roddy and Dave Donnellan had to appear in court on the same
alleged offence and the actual trial may still be almost a year away. For Dan Dowling and Edward
Horgan it was the sixth day in court, Theynow have two more dates on 13 and 18 December with no
trial date any time soon.

Today's hearing was supposed to be for the peacfe activists' legal teams to make a formal application to
have the trials transferred from Co Clare to Dublin. The defendants believe they cannot get a fair trail in
Co Clare due to possible conflicts of interest or bias of a Co Clare jury, as well as the perceived
economic benefit to the Mid West region of having the US military using Shannon Airport. At the
hearing the prosecution said they had not had enough time to prepare a response to the defendants'
affidavit so they all had a wasted day in court. The matter of change of venue will be discussed again
briefly in court on 18th December but will likely not be dealt with until 6th February at the earliest. It
applies to all four defendants.

After the court appearance, one of the peace activists said: "While it was a wasted day in court, lets not
complain too much. All four of us are still alive and well, we have done nothing wrong, and are before
the courts only because we wish to put an end to Irish complicity with the killing of innocent people,
especially children, in the Middle East. We are whistleblowers who are prepared to undertake the
inconveniences that these court cases can impose on us."

Last month the Clare Champion newspaper described Edward Horgan as "a self-confessed whistle-
blower". This might suggest that being a whistleblower is somehow to be frowned upon. It shouldn't
be; being a whistle-blower is a civic duty. More whistleblowers are needed to end Irish complicity in the
killing of innocent people each day in the Middle East.

http://shannonwatch.org/blog/another-day-court-four-peace-activists
US Illegal Arms Transportation - Washington
Assurances are Worthless
Thu, 14/09/2017 - 08:38 by shannonwatch

Press release from Galway Alliance Against War

The German newspaper Sddeutsche Zeitung is reporting today (13/9/17) that the US base in
Ramstein, Rheinland-Pfalz was used for the illegal transport of weaponry to Syrian "rebels".

A spokesperson for the Galway peace group, Galway Alliance Against War, said "this revelation raises
once more serious doubts over Washington's assurances that no illegal activity is being conducted by
the US military in Shannon airport. There is only one way that illegal activity by the US military can be
prevented - whether it's the transfer of the weapons of war or prisoners of war - and that is to stop
allowing the US Air Force permission to use Shannon airport or Irish airspace."

According to the Sddeutsche Zeitung the US military base in Rhineland-Palatinate, Ramstein, is a

temporary transfer point for arms deliveries to "Syrian rebels". As the Federal Government has not
approved any arms transports of this type since the beginning of the Syrian Civil War in 2011, the US
have violated German law, the Sddeutsche Zeitung reported today, Wednesday.

The Federal Government stated that it had no knowledge of such transfers. According to the
newspaper, private services linked to the US military have been buying weapons and ammunition for
hundreds of millions of dollars in Eastern Europe since 2013 to support various militias in Syria. One of
the trans-shipment points was Ramstein. Under the legislation dealing with the control of weapons of
war permission must be obtained to transport such weaponry through German territory.

http://shannonwatch.org/blo
g/us-illegal-arms-
transportation-washington-
assurances-are-worthless

The Dangers of Using a Civilian Airport

like Shannon to Transport US Military
Cargo
Sat, 14/10/2017 - 14:08 by shannonwatch

Recent discussions about the safety or otherwise of having the US military

flying in and out of Shannon Airport gave us reason to recall an incident in
March 2008 in which a Murray Air aircraft was involved in an emergency
landing at Shannon. This was after it was seen flying over Askeaton, which is
across the River Shannon estuary from the airport, with flames coming from
one of its engines. Residents of the County Limerick town described their
windows rattling and houses shaking as the cargo plane flew low over a
housing estate in the town.
At the time there was a discussion about the incident on the RTE Radio's Joe
Duffy Show. During the discussion Tracey Bell, Director of Administration for
Murray Air, admitted that explosives had been brought through Shannon by
the airline on previous occasions. She was asked about this by the presenter
Joe Duffy:
Joe Duffy - Murray Air could carry explosives through Shannon?
Tracey Bell - I can confirm that, yes sir.
Joe Duffy - Have you carried explosives through Shannon?

Tracey Bell - I believe so, yes sir.

Joe Duffy - ... for the American Army?
Tracey Bell - Yes sir.

Munitions containing depleted uranium. Photo: AFP (from

http://www.rudaw.net/english/middleeast/syria/15022017)
Edward Horgan of Shannonwatch who contacted the programme and spoke
on air asked if Murray Air had carried depleted uranium (DU) through
Shannon. Ms Bell said she didn't know, but when pressed confirmed that their
license allowed for them to carry this lethal radioactive substance.
The consequence of it not being declared to the Irish authorities, or of the
Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport giving permission for it to be
taken through Shannon are frightening. What if a plane carrying DU was
involved in an accident at Shannon, or as it was taking off?
The consequence of using DU munitions are even more devastating in war
zones. We know that the US used them in the Gulf and Iraq Wars. A 2006
report by Dr. Souad N. Al-Azzawi on Harvard University's website confirms
this:
"Depleted Uranium (DU) weaponry has been used against Iraq for the first
time in the history of recent wars. The magnitude of the complications and
damage related to the use of such radioactive and toxic weapons on the
environment and the human population mostly results from the intended
concealment, denial and misleading information released by the Pentagon
about the quantities, characteristics and the area's in Iraq, in which these
weapons have been used."

In an interview with Al Jazeera reporter Dahr Jamail, Democracy Now!

reported that the US invasion has left behind a legacy of cancer and birth
defects suspected of being caused by their extensive use of depleted uranium
and white phosphorus. This is not surprising, given that they fired hundreds
of thousands of rounds of DU munitions there. Democracy Now! wrote:
"Noting the birth defects in the Iraqi city of Fallujah, Jamail says: 'They're
extremely hard to bear witness to. But it's something that we all need to pay
attention to ... What this has generated is, from 2004 up to this day, we are
seeing a rate of congenital malformations in the city of Fallujah that has
surpassed even that in the wake of the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and
Nagasaki that nuclear bombs were dropped on at the end of World War II.'"
The US has also used DU in Syria, for example in two high-profile raids on oil
trucks in late 2015. These air assaults were the first confirmed use of this
armament since the 2003 Iraq invasion.
Because of its high density, DU can also be used in tank armor, sandwiched
between sheets of steel armor plate.
Murray Air's Tracey Bell confirmed that the airline had a license to transport
DU. They and other carriers may well have taken it through Shannon with or
without the knowledge of the Irish governnment or the authorities. The
people charged with ensuring the safety and security of Shannon refuse to
search US military and military contracted planes likely to be carrying DU.
Instead they follow orders from a government that relies on worthless
diplomatic assurances from the US authorities. These "assurances" state that
they not taking hazardous and lethal material like DU through Shannon. And
the Irish government take them at face value.
Its unlikely that the US authorities would tell the Irish government if they
were taking DU through Shannon. If they are lying, it presents a very grave
rish to people in places like Askeaton that the military and military contracted
planes pass over as they are taking off and landing. And it makes Shannon
Airport a very dangerous place to work in or travel through.
The safest thing to do - and the right thing to do - is to stop all US military
and military contracted planes from landing at Shannon. The risk is too great.
Listen to the full podcast RTE Liveline March 31st 2008 on
http://www.rte.ie/podcasts/2008/pc/pod-v-010408-37m21s-liveline.mp3
I could see plane flying towards
my house"
April 2 2008
The accident occurred shortly before 10.30pm as many in the Askeaton area
were relaxing in front of The Late Late Show. Suddenly hearing what sounded
like thunder claps, scores of people in the area rushed to their windows to see
a large plane in flames and appearing to fly perilously close to the treetops.

One woman explained on Joe Duffy?s Liveline show how she was smoking a
cigarette in her back garden when she heard a series of loud noises. It sounded
like thunder or something banging off a galvanised roof and I could see this
plane coming towards my house and nearly hitting off the trees,? she said.
Rushing into her home she grabbed the children and alerted her partner to get
out of the house. Outside, she watched as the danger abated ? ?it was like
something out of the War of the Worlds,? she added.

The plane ? a DC8 owned by Murray Air and equipped for cargo (its passenger
equivalent would seat 175) ? suffered an engine compression problem shortly
into its ascent out of Shannon Airport on Friday night. For a brief period one
of its engines failed to take in air and this resulted in an eruption of flame
from that engine. An emergency was declared and the plane was immediately
turned around and flown back to Shannon on reduced power.

It landed safely at roughly 10.25pm as Shannon ground staff attended with all
emergency procedures in place.

Controversy was sparked on the

Joe Duffy show, with a number of callers suggesting the plane could have been
carrying explosives or other hazardous materials to the US military in the

Gulf.

A spokesperson for Murray Air, Tracey Bell, told Liveline listeners, however,
that the plane had not been carrying any explosives or armaments. She
confirmed, however, that Murray Air were fully licensed by the Irish
authorities to carry hazardous materials ? including depleted uranium. She
did not say, however, if the company had ever flown such materials through
Irish airspace.

The DC8 is thought to have just completed a flight from Newfoundland when
it touched down in Shannon on Friday night. There, it refuelled and took off
before the disaster struck. It?s still here, waiting for parts to arrive from
America,? the DAA Shannon spokesperson told The Kerryman.
https://www.independent.ie/regionals/kerryman/news/i-could-see-plane-
flying-towards-my-house-27377032.html
More than 500 members of the Defence Forces took part in a major
exercise today on how to respond to a major terrorist attack.
It took place at a number of locations, including Dublin Port and
Dublin Airport.
It centred on how the Defence Forces would respond to a possible
request from An Garda Sochna following a major on-island
terrorist incident.
The Defence Forces practiced various operational and tactical
procedures while undertaking the exercise.

Photos: More than 500 members of Defence Forces

take part in major terrorist incident exercise
The Defence Forces practiced various operational and tactical procedures while
undertaking the exercise.
THEJOURNAL.IE
MORE THAN 500 members of the Defence Forces took part
in a major exercise today on how to respond to a major
terrorist attack.
It took place at a number of locations, including Dublin Port
and Dublin Airport.
It centred on how the Defence Forces would respond to a
possible request from An Garda Sochna following a major
on-island terrorist incident.
The Defence Forces practiced various operational and
tactical procedures while undertaking the exercise.

Source: Irish Defence Forces

The operation involved members of the elite Army Ranger
Wing, the Naval Service and the Air Corps, along with
members of An Garda Sochna.
Chief of Staff Vice Admiral Mark Mellett described the
exercise as a success:
The primary purpose of today was to exercise our plans and
our ability to provide the military capability to support An
Garda Sochna in the event of a major terrorist incident.
The exercise was a success, we have identified lessons from
it and we will continue to build on them in future exercises.

Source: Defence Forces via Flickr

The Defence Forces constantly prepare on an on-going basis
to support the Civil Authorities in the event of a national
security incident.
It says it will continue to enhance its response capability
with more exercises in the future.

Source: Defence Forces via Flickr

Minister with Responsibility for Defence Mr. Paul Kehoe
said, It is vital to ensure that the men and women of the
Defence Forces are prepared to support An Garda Sochana
in the event of a major terrorist incident.
This exercise allows the Defence Forces to build on their
capabilities and preparedness and develop their procedures
with An Garda Sochna.

http://www.thejournal.ie/defe
nce-forces-test-terror-
3736292-
Dec2017/?utm_source=faceb
ook_short
Protests erupt in Palestine in
response to Trump's Jerusalem
decision
The Israeli military has deployed hundreds more troops to the occupied
West Bank, stoking fears of bloodshed in the region.
December 7, 17

US PRESIDENT DONALD Trumps recognition of

Jerusalem as Israels capital sparked Palestinian protests,
clashes and a call for a new intifada today as fears grew of
fresh bloodshed in the region.
Trumps announcement also prompted an almost universal
diplomatic backlash that continued today, with fresh
warnings from Turkey, the EU and Russia.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu however
lavished praise on Trump, saying his name would now be
associated with Jerusalems long history and urging other
countries to follow his lead.
Source: Donald J. Trump/Twitter
The Israeli military deployed hundreds more troops to the
occupied West Bank amid uncertainty over the fallout, while
clashes between Palestinians and Israeli security forces
erupted in various areas.
In a speech in Gaza City, Hamas leader Ismail Haniya called
for a new intifada, or uprising.
Protests were held in West Bank cities including Ramallah,
Hebron and Nablus, as well as in the Gaza Strip.
Israeli forces dispersed several hundred protesters with tear
gas at a checkpoint at the entrance to Ramallah, while the
Palestinian Red Crescent reported dozens wounded from
tear gas, rubber bullets and live fire in the West Bank.
Source: PA Images
Three Palestinians were wounded east of the city of Khan
Yunis in the Gaza Strip, medical sources and witnesses said.
Trumps defiant move making good on a pledge made
during his 2016 presidential campaign ends seven decades
of US ambiguity on the status of the Holy City, which is
claimed by both Israelis and Palestinians.
Trump said it marks the start of a new approach to solving
the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
It is time to officially recognise Jerusalem as the capital of
Israel, he said in a speech from the White House last night,
urging calm and the voices of tolerance to prevail over the
purveyors of hate.
Darker times

Israeli border police officers are deployed during clashes.

Source: Nasser Nasser
But his willingness to part with international consensus on
such a sensitive issue drew increasingly urgent warnings
from around the world.
EU diplomatic chief Federica Mogherini said the decision
could take the region backwards to even darker times.
Russia said it viewed the move with serious concern and
Saudi Arabia called it unjustified and irresponsible.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said it would put
the region in a ring of fire.
Hey Trump! What do you want to do?
What kind of approach is this? Political leaders do not stir
things up, they seek to make peace.
Palestinian leaders were outraged, with president Mahmud
Abbas saying Trump had disqualified the United States from
its traditional role as peace broker in the Middle East
conflict.

Palestinians burn tires as they take part in a protest against US President

Trump.
Source: PA Images
Palestinian shops in east Jerusalem, including the Old City,
as well as in the West Bank were largely shuttered and
schools closed today after a general strike was called.
By this decision, America became a very small country, like
any small country in the world, like Micronesia, Salah
Zuhikeh, aged 55, told AFP in Jerusalems Old City.
America was a great country for us and everyone.
Trumps move left many angry US allies struggling to find a
diplomatic response.
Through gritted teeth, Britain described the move as
unhelpful and France called it regrettable. Germany said
plainly that it does not support Trumps decision.
Eight countries including Britain, France and Italy pressed
for an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council in
response, which was set for Friday.
Right-wing politics
Trump also kicked off the process of moving the US embassy
from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.
In doing so, he begins to make good on a campaign promise
dear to US evangelical Christian and right-wing Jewish
voters as well as donors.
Trumps predecessors, from Bill Clinton to George Bush,
had made the same promise, but quickly reneged upon
taking office.

Israeli troops fire teargas towards Palestinians during a protest.

Source: Nasser Shiyoukhi
The 45th US president was determined to show his arrival in
Washington spells the end of business as usual, suggesting
his predecessors failed to act though lack of courage.
Israel seized Arab east Jerusalem in the Six-Day War of 1967
and later annexed it in a move never recognised by the
international community.
The Palestinians want the eastern sector as the capital of
their future state.
Several peace plans have unravelled in the past decades over
the issue of how to divide sovereignty or oversee holy sites in
Jerusalem.
The international community does not recognise the ancient
city as Israels capital, insisting the issue can only be
resolved in negotiations a point reiterated by UN chief
Antonio Guterres in the wake of Trumps decision.
Guterres implicitly criticised Trump, stressing his
opposition to any unilateral measures that would
jeopardise the prospect of peace.
Trump insisted the move did not prejudge final talks, saying
it simply reflected the reality that west Jerusalem is and will
continue to be part of Israel under any settlement.
Peace is never beyond the grasp of those willing to reach it,
said the US leader, who declared that this decision is not
intended in any way to reflect a departure from our strong
commitment to facilitate a lasting peace.
The United States would support a two-state solution if
agreed to by both sides, Trump said, as he announced that
Vice President Mike Pence would travel to the region in the
coming days.
Trump further stated that the United States was not taking a
position on any final status issues, including the specific
boundaries of the Israeli sovereignty in Jerusalem, or the
resolution of contested borders.
Those questions are up to the parties involved, he said.
- AFP 2017 with reporting from Grinne N Aodha

http://www.thejournal.ie/prot
ests-palestine-jerusalem-
3737853-Dec2017/
this government is bought and paid for.they have no say in the running of ireland,they are employees on a
generous salary and expenses to brain wash the irish people.american vuture capitalist own half the
country and the EU own the other half.
He also mentions upping personnel..so is he talking about compulsary enlistment.Not my child.Never.If he
wants to join the army well and good but he will not be forced.
Our government told us we were neutral, and we fools believed them, US war planes in Shannon, Duh!
That's not neutral, if our state truly wanted to live at peace with the rest of the world then they'd disband all
military within our borders and make a formal declaration of peace with the rest of the world, you don't go
in guns drawn to declare peace and harmony with our fellow man.
Fianna Fil Join Fine Gael/IND. ALLIANCE to Defeat Amendment Requiring Wide Public
Debate on Joining Permanent European Structured Military Cooperation. Irish Neutrality To
Be Undermined and extra Billions to be spent on Armaments at the Expense of Housing,
Health, Education Welfare
Press Release https://wp.me/pKzXa-Ut
PANA (Peace and Neutrality Alliance) Press Conference in the Central Hotel, Exchequer
Street, Dublin 2, on Thursday, December 7th at 11am to highlight implications of Irelands
growing role in European military cooperation PESCO
Fianna Fil Join Fine Gael to Defeat
Amendment Requiring Wide Public Debate on
Joining Permanent European Structured
Military Cooperation. Irish Neutrality To Be
Undermined and extra Billions to be spent on
Armaments at the Expense of Housing, Health,
Education Welfare
Press Release
PANA (Peace and Neutrality Alliance) Press Conference in the Central Hotel,
Exchequer Street, Dublin 2, on Thursday, December 7th at 11am to highlight
implications of Irelands growing role in European military cooperation PESCO
In the midst of the ongoing controversy regarding Brexit and the fate of the Irish border, a
very significant move by the Cabinet has gone almost unnoticed. This is the decision to
give the go-ahead for Ireland to take part in EU plans for closer cooperation on security
and defence matters, which the government expects the Dil to ratify on the basis of
limited information and after a disgracefully short debate on Thursday afternoon.

This plan, known as PESCO, is justified under the catch-all excuse of combating the
growing threat of terrorism, and comes with the ritual assurance that this poses no threat
to our traditional and highly-regarded policy of neutrality.

But this Press Conference will highlight that one of the consequences of our joining PESCO
is that we would be asked to increase spending on weapons and military affairs, requiring
a leap in defence spending from the currently planned 946 million for 2018 to an
estimated 3 billion+ annually by 2020.

The Press Conference, featuring a range of speakers, will explain opposition to this
development, demonstrating how it constitutes a further abandonment of our traditional
non-aggressive foreign policy.

The single greatest action, it will be argued, that Ireland can take to combat terrorism is to
withdraw the facilities of Shannon airport from the US military for use in their wars of
aggression, wars which have played a major part in increasing the global terrorist threat in
the first place.

Rather than joining military structures which proclaim the efficacy of military solutions
to complex political problems, speakers at the Press Conference will show how we should
be using the experience of our own history to offer solutions to such problems through
dialogue and negotiation.

With the ever-increasing numbers of homeless people on our streets and unprecedented
numbers of refugees seeking safety on European shores, many forced from shattered
homes as a result of Western-backed wars and weaponry the Press conference will
emphasise how scandalous it is that the government plans to spend more money on
militarism, further destabilising an already impoverished and war-weary world.

The Press Conference will call on Dil ireann not to pass the Governments PESCO motion
when it comes before it this week

Roger Cole, Chairperson, PANA,

Dalkey Business Centre, 17 Castle Street, Dalkey, Co. Dublin, Ireland
Tel: 00353 (0)1 2351512
E-mail: info@pana.ie www.pana.ie

FRANCE TO INVADE LIBYA

Boots on the ground? Macron urges military action in Libya YouTube
3:35
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=azVxNDtDVsk

2 days ago Uploaded by RT

French President Emmanuel Macron is calling for concrete military and police action
against human trafficking in
Boots on the ground? Macron urges military action in Libya YouTube
6:34
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0LcODcKtfm8

Irish Neutrality To be Undermined. Government

proposes integration into new EU Military
Structure(PESCO). Huge increase in Irish Military
Spending required at the expense of Housing,
Health, Education, Welfare. Meanwhile, France
PROPOSES NEW INVASION OF LIBYA
>> PESCO ( Permanent Structured Co-operation)
>> The FG/Independents Government is to propose to the Dail this coming
>> week that Ireland join PESCO. This will mean a new EU Defence budget
>> of at least an initial 1.5 billion a year (up from 590 million), and that each
participating EU state including Ireland reach an average of 2% of its GDP to
ensure that the EU becomes a global military power.
>>

>> This means by 2020 Ireland will have to increase its military

>> expenditure. According to Phoenix (1/12/17) the Government is seeking, a leap in

defence spending from the current 946 million in 2018 to something like 3 billion-plus
by 2020.

>> This will clearly mean a major cut in other state expenditures such as in the health,
housing and education sectors.

>>

>> For 21 years PANA has sought to advocate the continuation of the long

>> standing policy of neutrality, and opposed out steady integration

>> into the

>>

>> EU/US/NATO military structures. Joining PESCO is a very major step in that
integration.

>>

At the very least there should be a serious and open civic debate before any Dil
vote takes place and before any decision is made
We would hope and request that you and your
Organisation would consider also calling for such a debate.

Paddy Healy, National Committee, Peace and Neutrality Alliance

>> For more information see: www.pana.ie

>>

>> Roger Cole

>>

>> Chair, Peace & Neutrality Alliance

>

-
Irish Government Has Ordered Irish Navy To
Collaborate in Operation Sophia with French and
Italian Navies- Refugees are now being Returned to
Torture Camps in Libya
Report From Mdcins Sans Frontire
ILLUSTRATES HORRORS OF DETENTION CAMPS
TO WHICH REFUGEES ARE BEING RETURNED
Libya: When France becomes accomplice to the very crimes it condemns
Thierry Allafort-Duverger, General Director of MSF France
Paris, 28 November 2017. Few days ago, our team in Libya gave medical consultations in
a detention centre in the Misrata region to a group of 100 or so men and women. They had
been taken to the centre after Libyan coastguards intercepted their boat and returned
them to land. Although we work in detention centres, we have no idea of what happens to
people held in them as patients we give consultations can disappear without a trace from
one week to the next. In the summer of 2017, the Libyan coastguard stepped up its
interceptions at sea after an overt policy of support was instituted by the European Union
and its member states with France and Italy playing a major role. Libya is more than
ever a snare awaiting people hoping to find work in the country or passing through on
their way to Europe in search of refuge or a brighter future.
The shocking footage shown by CNN on 14 November 2017 brought to light a situation in
Libya long denounced by many associations and international organizations. A lucrative
business of abduction, torture and extortion of migrants and refugees reduced to mere
commodities is facilitated by repressive migratory policies, as Europe is prepared to do
whatever it takes to contain arrivals of migrants. Still, the televised images of slaves being
sold shown on the US news channel did prompt some political reaction, as France
condemned a crime against humanity and demanded an emergency session of the
Security Council.

But what to think of those who, like Emmanuel Macron, categorise and condemn whats
happening in Libya while at the same time continuing to support Libyas coastguard and
fund other measures aiming at keeping people in the very hell they are doing their utmost
to escape? This is a whole new level of hypocrisy! Who can still dare to pretend that men,
women and children, disembarked from intercepted boats and returned to Libya, are
accommodated in comfortable, freshly painted centres refurbished to international
standards, thanks to the generosity of the European taxpayer? Once back on land, there
can be no doubt that they are thrown straight back into extreme violence and depravation
against the background of blurred boundaries between the authorities and trafficker
networks reported for years by numerous observers.

The insecurity and restrictions on access make us only too aware of the limits of what we
can hope to achieve in Libyas detention centres. Our doctors, who do not have unimpeded
access to detainees, are not free to decide who to examine or to treat, with some kept
hidden away to prevent our teams from assisting them. Pretending that money is all thats
needed to improve conditions in Libyan detention centres is a fallacy. Much like diplomatic
representations and other United Nations agencies, the IOM and UNHCR have only a
limited presence in Libya.

To what extent does MSFs presence serve to cast a veneer of humanity over a brutal
system? This is a dilemma, which, in spite of everything, we endeavour to overcome by
constantly weighing up our capacity to provide vital assistance to people in distress, to
reach out to them to raise awareness to the violence and inhumanity of their situation,
given the increasingly life-threatening solutions instituted to contain migratory flows.

There is no one easy solution, but expressing outrage at the crimes committed against
migrants in Libya while pursuing an overt policy of return and keeping as many of them as
possible on the other side of the Mediterranean is, at the very least, shameful. The
incompatibility between these two attitudes is no figment of MSFs imagination: in October
2017, the number of migrants held in official detention centres tripled, according to
estimates provided by the IMO and the Department of Combating Illegal Migration, the
Libyan agency that runs them. UN human rights observers were shocked by what they saw
in detention centres in Tripoli during their mission at the beginning of November. They saw
thousands of emaciated and traumatised people piled on top of each other, locked up in
hangars, subjected to extreme types of violence and abuse. On 14 November 2017, Mr
Zeid Raad Al Hussein, the High Commissioner for Human Rights, declared that since the
European Union stepped up its interventions to stem migration, monitoring has shown a
deterioration in already deplorable conditions of detention of migrants and refugees in
Libya.

What is Mr Macron hoping to achieve with concrete military and policing action in Libya to
dismantle smuggling networks? Another foreign military intervention will most definitely
serve only to fuel the dynamics of the conflict in Libya, where no authority can make claim
to holding a legitimate monopoly on violence. Fighting against smugglers without providing
safe and legal ways to move and flee is a dead-end. Beyond the token gestures, what is
urgently required is a shift that translates into actions in France and its European partners
migratory policy in Libya. Actions, however small, must be facilitated not only to help
alleviate the suffering of those subjected to a living nightmare in Libya but, even more
importantly, to put an immediate end to policies that simply add to their misery.

Thus, once again, we urge the European Union and its member statesand more
particularly France and Italy which have a key roleto facilitate sea search and rescue
operations and cease their support to Libyan coastguards with intercepting and returning
migrants and refugees attempting to flee Libya, a country, let us not forget, that is not
even a signatory to the Geneva Convention on the status of refugees. Failing this, France
will descend still further into complicity with the very crimes it condemns.

France has taken a constructive initiative with the first mission operated by OFPRA (French
Office for the Protection of Refugees and Stateless Persons) in Niger. This will enable a
group of refugees to be granted asylum in France without having to undergo perilous
journeys or after surviving it in the case of the 25 survivors evacuated from Tripoli to
Niamey by the UNHCR that will be part of it. Nobody knows yet how many will benefit from
these initiatives, but it will be no more than a drop in the oceanas is, as already pointed
out, what MSF is managing to achieve. Furthermore, what is to be the fate of all those who
have suffered the unmentionable but are not eligible for refugee status?

All these people who find themselves trapped in the Libyan snare, set in part by France
and the European Union, must be afforded all possible means of escape. This includes the
full application of the right of asylum for anyone eligible, increasing offers of voluntary
return to countries of origin for genuine candidates and implementing supplementary
forms of protection, in neighbouring countries, in Europe (and this includes France) to
meet the needs of survivors of a hell on earth.

Working in Libya since 2011, Mdecins sans frontires has been providing assistance
and medical care to refugees and migrants in detention centres located in Tripoli and
Misrata areas for over a year.

UNITED NATIONS COMMISSION ON HUMANITARIAN AFFAIRS Reinforces

SHOCKING REPORT of Mdcins San Frontire
ReliefWeb is the leading humanitarian information source on global crises and
disasters. It is a specialized digital service of the UN Office for the Coordination of
Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).

EU Migration Cooperation with Libya

Armed conflicts since 2014 in Libya have resulted in a humanitarian and
governance crisis, with a quarter million Libyans displaced and a breakdown in
the economic, political, and judicial systems. The country has three rival
authorities competing for legitimacy, international recognition, and territorial
control: a UN-backed and EU-recognized Government of National Accord (GNA),
based in Tripoli; the Government of National Salvation, also based in Tripoli; and
the Interim Government, based in the eastern cities of al-Bayda and Tobruk. The
GNA has limited control over key institutions and only nominal control over
forces aligned with them.
The evidence of brutality against migrants in Libya is overwhelming. A damning December
2016 report from the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and the UN
mission in Libya documented widespread malnutrition, forced labor, illness, beatings,
sexual abuse, torture, and other abuses in immigration detention centers in Libya. A
German Foreign Ministry memo leaked to the media in January 2017 stated that migrants
in Libya are executed, tortured, raped, extorted, and banished to the desert on a daily
basis. Human Rights Watch has documented abuses against migrants in Libya for years,
including by guards in detention centers under the Directorate for Illegal Migration (DCIM),
Libyan coast guard forces, and smugglers.
The GNA Interior Ministry operates about 24 official detention facilities for migrants in
western Libya that are at least nominally under ministry control. Militias and criminal
gangs detain migrants in parallel, unofficial centers.

The EUs anti-smuggling operation EUNAVFOR MED also known as Operation Sophia
began training Libyan Navy coast guard officers, petty officers, and seamen under the
GNAs Defense Ministry in October 2016. Ninety-three officers participated in training
aboard EU navy ships in the Mediterranean, while 42 have been trained in Malta and
Greece in training programs on land that will continue in Spain and Italy through the end
of 2017. The planned third phase, which has not begun, would involve training on board
Libyan patrol boats in Libyan territorial waters. In the February 2017 Malta Declaration, EU
countries pledged to prioritize training, equipment and support to the Libyan coast guard
forces, as well as enhanced operational action to shut down the central Mediterranean
route. Also in February, Italy signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the GNA, which
was suspended by a court in Tripoli in March, and began in May to deliver the first 4 of 10
patrol boats to Libyan coast guard forces.
Since at least October 2013, Italy has coordinated virtually all rescue operations by the
Italian coast guard and Navy; the EU border agency, commonly known as Frontex;
Operation Sophia; and vessels from nongovernmental groups, as well as commercial ships
when necessary. Nine groups Migrant Offshore Aid Station (MOAS), Mdecins sans
Frontires (MSF), SOS MEDITERRANEE, Sea-Watch, Jugend Rettet, Sea Eye, Life Boat
Minden, Proactiva Open Arms, and Save The Children have dedicated rescue patrols in
the central Mediterranean. According to Italian government figures, nongovernmental
groups rescued one-quarter of all those rescued in 2016, and one-third of those rescued in
the first three months of 2017.
Just as the Libyan government is fragmented, so too are Libyan coast guard forces. The
EU support is directed to Navy coast guard forces in western Libya, which operate at least
nominally under the GNA Defense Ministry. The commander of the coast guard forces in
Zawiyah told Human Rights Watch during the April visit that the GNA coast guard chief had
only nominal control over forces in different points in western Libya including in the
towns and cities of Misrata, Tripoli, Zawiyah, Sebratha, and Zuwara.

The GNA Interior Ministry also has its own Coastal Security forces. Col. Tariq Shanbour,
head of the Interior Ministrys Coastal Security forces and based in Tripoli, told Human
Rights Watch during its visit that although his forces had no rescue boats, their mandate
extended from operations on land and through the Libyan territorial waters, up to 12
nautical miles. Colonel Shanbour said his forces combat crime, including irregular
migration, fuel smuggling, illegal fishing, and drug trafficking.

In April, the European Commission announced a 90 million aid program for migrants in
Libya, about half of which would go to improving conditions in official detention centers,
assistance at disembarkation points, and voluntary returns, among other measures.
The May 23 Incident
Human Rights Watchs understanding of what happened on May 23 is based on a detailed
incident report provided by MSF; phone interviews with an MSF crew member and a crew
member from the German group Jugend Rettet, who witnessed the incident; and public
statements by other groups on the scene. All times for both incidents are in Coordinated
Universal Time (UTC), which is two hours behind Central European Time (CET).
On May 23, a Libyan coast guard patrol boat intervened in a rescue operation already in
progress in international waters by the Aquarius, a rescue ship jointly operated
by MSF and SOS Mediterrane, and the Iuventa, a vessel operated by Jugend Rettet.
After an EUNAVFOR MED plane spotted 8 to 10 migrant boats at 06:50, the Italian MRCC
in Rome appointed the Vos Hestia, a rescue vessel operated by Save The Children, as on-
scene commander.

By 08:30 the Aquarius had reached the area, 15 nautical miles from the Libyan coast in
international waters, and began its rescue operation. By noon, its crew had distributed life
jackets to people on board a white rubber boat and evacuated 34 people before having to
order its speedboats to attend to another boat in a more serious distress situation. At
10:30, a Libyan coast guard patrol boat with the number 267 entered the rescue area and
approached several of the migrant boats, creating destabilizing waves.

A Jugend Rettet crew member, who was on a RHIB a rigid-hulled inflatable boat
distributing life jackets at the time, said the patrol boat approached them at one point:
We have standing orders to be cooperative, and we thought they might want to help. We
waved, they waved back, even gave us the thumbs up. We thought everything was ok.

The Libyan patrol boat retreated to a distance. Crew aboard the Aquarius heard at least six
shots fired into the air from machine guns mounted on the Libyan patrol boat. The Libyan
patrol boat then steered back toward the migrant boats, and at around 13:00, two men on
the Libyan patrol boat, one of whom was in uniform and armed with an AK-47 assault rifle,
boarded one of the migrant boats, a white rubber boat, and began steering it toward
Libyan territorial waters.

A photograph posted by Jugend Rettet shows one of the Libyan coast guard members
pointing the assault rifle at the people on board, and footage from an Italian television
crew aboard the Aquarius shows the same man firing two or three shots into the air. The
footage also shows dozens of panicked people jumping into the water.
Testimony gathered by MSF from survivors would later allege that the Libyan officers had
taken their phones and money, even a mans ring. As the Libyan officers steered the white
rubber boat back toward Libya, more people jumped into the water. The Aquarius crew
eventually pulled 67 people from the water. At 13:40, the Libyan officers changed course
and steered the rubber boat toward the Aquarius, and at 14:00, they said they wanted to
hand over the people on board. By 14:17, all 38 people who had remained on the white
rubber boat had been transferred to the Aquarius RHIB.

While two of its crew had boarded the rubber boat, the Libyan patrol boat had remained
alongside a wooden boat crowded with migrants, which it would eventually steer back to
Libya, and transferred dozens from a second wooden boat to the patrol boat.
Nongovernmental groups estimate that between 200 and 400 people were taken back to
Libya. Their vessels rescued 11 migrant boats.

MSF collected testimony from two men, one who said he was Libyan and another who said
he was Syrian, who were pulled out of the water after they jumped off the wooden boat.
The men alleged that coast guard officers also took money and phones from passengers on
the wooden boat.

Corroborating testimony collected by MSF among survivors on their rescue ship suggests
that the Libyan coast guard forces fired more shots than logged by the nongovernmental
vessels in the area. Most worrisome, six people who had jumped into the water from the
rubber boat and two men who jumped from the wooden boat alleged that Libyan officers
had fired shots into the water after people jumped. No corpses were found, nor did anyone
rescued have fresh gunshot wounds.

A Libyan Navy spokesman, Admiral Ayyoub Amr Qassem, denied some aspects of the
nongovernmental groups version of events, arguing it was illogical for the Libyan coast
guard to shoot at migrants.
The May 10 Incident
The Human Rights Watch understanding of the event is based on the Sea-Watch ships log,
a phone interview with a Sea-Watch crew member who witnessed the incident, email
communications between the Italian Maritime Rescue Coordination Center (MRCC)
provided by Sea-Watch, and statements by the Italian MRCC and the Libyan Navy coast
guard.
On May 10, the Italian MRCC in Rome allowed a Libyan coast guard vessel to assume
coordination over a rescue operation in international waters. Sea-Watch, which had
already begun its rescue operation on previous instructions from MRCC Rome, filmed the
Libyan patrol boat conducting a dangerous maneuver, creating a risk of collision, and has
called for an independent investigation.
At 05:38 UTC, MRCC Rome called the German Sea-Watch 2 ship to inform it of a migrant
boat at position 33 00N, 012 27E, which is within Libyan territorial waters. The
coordination center followed up with an email stamped 05:42 instructing Sea-Watch to
please divert your courseand provide assistance to the migrant boat.

At 06:25, when the Sea-Watch ship sighted the migrant boat a severely crowded
wooden boat carrying almost 500 people they were at position 33 08.9N, 012 28.9E.
This is approximately 20 nautical miles from the Libyan coast, in international waters.

MRCC Rome called the Sea-Watch ship at 06:47 asking it to confirm target boat, and
sent an email 11 minutes later, at 06:58, with a photo of the boat time-stamped 05:01.
Sea-Watch initiated its rescue operation, lowering a speedboat loaded with life jackets to
approach the migrant boat. But at 06:56, MRCC Rome called Sea-Watch to tell them that
Libya was taking over coordination of the rescue operation, and sent an email indicating
that, Following our previous phone call, we confirm that at 06:13Z [the Z indicates UTC
time zone], the Libyan Coast Guard informed us that it is coordinating the SAR case in
subject and that a Libyan patrol vessel, as reported by Libyan Coast Guard, is operating.

The Sea-Watch log indicates that its speedboat was in the water at 06:59. The boat
approached the migrant boat, and the ships log indicates that it made contact at 07:04.
During this time lapse, Sea-Watch attempted repeatedly to reach the Libyan patrol boat,
which the crew could see approaching at a fast clip, by radio on numerous frequencies;
they received no response. Sea-Watch told Human Rights Watch that, Of course we would
proceed with [the speedboat operation], as we thought also with a coordination through
the Libyans, the speedboats would be needed in the water at least on standby to
guarantee a safe disembarkation.

The Sea-Watch ships log reports at 07:04, as the speedboat was engaging in shouted
conversation with migrants aboard the wooden boat, the Libyan patrol boat 206 crossed
their bow, in what Sea-Watch said was a dangerous maneuver. Sea-Watch reports that the
Libyan patrol boat did not respond to radio calls from the German ship. The Sea-Watch
speedboat returned to the groups larger vessel, and the Libyan coast guard boat
proceeded to transfer several hundred people from the wooden boat to their own boat. At
least two officers boarded the wooden boat, with numerous people still on board, to steer
it back to land. No one was provided life jackets, putting them at risk.

According to the UN Refugee Agency, UNHCR, 484 people disembarked in Tripoli, including
14 women and 19 children. The rest were adult men. Four women were hospitalized it is
unclear why while the rest were detained at the Mitiga airbase in Tripoli.

The Libyan Navy spokesman, Admiral Qassem, alleged that Sea-Watch tried to hinder the
work of our coast guard to take the migrants. The GNAs Libyan coast guard did not
respond to email queries and phone calls. In an email to Human Rights Watch, the Italian
coast guard said that MRCC Rome, as the first Maritime Rescue Coordination center that
received the information, according to SAR international procedures, informed the Coastal
states SAR authorities in whose territorial waters was the boat in distress and contacted
the nearest known ship, M/V SEA WATCH 2 later, MRCC Rome informed M/V SEA WATCH
2 that the Libyan Coast Guard had assumed the coordination of the SAR case.

Ireland Must Resist New Pressures To Give Up

Military Neutrality
Recovery of All-Ireland Sovereignty of Irish People More Vital
than Ever Now!
-

Could Saudi-British Agression In Yemen Using

Cluster Bombs To Massacre Civilians Lead to
NUCLEAR WAR!!!
Yemens Houthis Retaliate By Firing Ballistic
Missile into Saudi Arabia. What if it had been armed
with a NUCLEAR WAR HEAD? Guardian Saturday 4
November 2017
A Saudi-led coalition had intervened in 2015 to prop up Hadis government after
the Shia Houthi rebels seized the capital of Yemen, Sanaa. The rebels continue to
hold much of the country.

British cluster bombs used in Yemen by Saudi Arabia

It is understood the British governments own investigations back up media reports that
such cluster bombs have been deployed in the war, in which Britain is helping to train
Saudi forces. A source told the Guardian that Minister Fallon is among the ministers to
have known about the analysis for about a month. Guardianon Sunday 18 December
2016 20.33 GMT

Saudi Arabia intercepts missile fired from Yemen

State-owned media reports missile was brought down north of King Khaled airport near
Riyadh

Houthi fighters in Yemen claim to have fired the missile into Saudi territory.

Is Irish Navy Co-Operating with Return of Migrants

to Hell On Earth in Libya?
The UN accused the EU last week of turning a
blind eye to the brutality faced by migrants held
in Libya and called for urgent action to help them.-
RTE News

INSTITUTE OF INTERNATIONAL AND EUROPEAN AFFAIRS (IIEA)-Funded By Huge

Irish and International Business Interests and by the EU Commission Calls For
End To Irish Military Neutrality Through President Brendan Halligan
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Post-Brexit support from Berlin and Paris will come

at a cost-Halligan in Irish Times
As the Franco-German axis reasserts its self, Irish neutrality and
corporation tax policies will have to be revisited
Opinion: Brendan Halligan, is President of the Institute of International and European
Affairs. He was general secretary of the Labour Party and a member of the Oireachtas and
European Parliament. This article is based on an address to the MacGill summer school.
Irish Times: Thursday, July 27, 2017, 17:28
Put simply, the European Union is a Franco-German project initiated by the Schuman
Declaration of 1951. Together they are building a European home and while others may
join in, they have to observe the house rules.

In these circumstances, the best strategy for Ireland is to be at the centre by adopting
their agenda and adapting it to our own needs. And in view of Brexit, Ireland will need to
be at the centre to get maximum advantage from our membership. It not an easy
proposition .

Ireland volunteered to join the EEC in 1961 and gave certain commitments that now need
to be revived. The then Taoiseach, Sen Lemass, fearing that Ireland would otherwise be
isolated, virtually broke down the doors in Brussels to get into the community. Our
application was opposed on many grounds, of which non-membership of Nato was the
biggest. Lemass took this head-on and asserted that Ireland agreed with the objectives of
Nato, was not neutral in the conflict between democracy and communism and implied that,
if admitted as a member, would be prepared to join in the common defence of the EEC.

But defence remains a legacy issue because that commitment got lost after Lemasss
retirement, and is now forgotten. Discussion is off-limits and neutrality has become more a
matter of theology than international politics. We have failed to update what it means in
practice, as the Finns and Swedes have done.

But we wont be able to do that for much longer because the Franco-German alliance has
undergone a renaissance with the arrival of President Macron and with the imminent re-
election of Mrs Merkel. European defence is back on the agenda, not least because of the
US retreat from global affairs and the re-emergence of a truculent Russia.

The Franco-German conclusion is that we Europeans had better look after our own
defence. As a result, this is one of those moments when Europe redefines itself and
enlarges its core activities. We are unprepared for this development and failure to join in
common defence, as Lemass had promised, may be our undoing.

The other legacy issue is corporate tax harmonisation. What originally started as a sensible
policy for stimulating exports was then transformed into a sophisticated strategy for
encouraging foreign direct investment. But it was never intended to become a mechanism
for reducing the tax liabilities of international business and Ireland did not set out to
become a tax haven, but thats how we are now perceived.
The challenge here is that the taxation agenda is also quickening. Mrs Merkel has put the
financial transaction tax into her government programme and President Macron has raised
French concerns over what the OECD calls profit shifting. Then there are Commission
proposals on a common consolidated tax base. Unless our stance on taxation is adapted to
this complex agenda, then it too will be an obstacle to being part of the core.

That brings us to the strategic necessity for aligning our security and taxation policies with
the new Franco-German agenda. Its purely economic. The disruption from Brexit will be
far greater here than in any other EU state. It constitutes an asymmetric shock that will
necessitate a long period of adjustment similar to that which we experienced in the first
decade of EEC membership.

We will inevitably be looking for assistance in building a new economic model while
absorbing the shock of Brexit. To succeed at both we will need something analogous to the
cohesion funds that eased our way into monetary union as well as special measures to
offset the loss of competitiveness in the UK market, a consequence of the inexorable
decline in the value of sterling.

This will be a tough case to make given the competing needs of the less well off member
states. But it will have to be made and will be best done by invoking the principle of
solidarity. Common sense dictates, however, that to win solidarity we must show solidarity
and that means playing a full part at the centre of the Union. Its a question of realpolitik,
not sentiment.

In sum, playing a full part at the centre of the Union means playing a full part in the future
common defence and security policies, playing a full part in creating a fiscal union
involving corporate tax harmonisation, playing a full part in the Franco-German re-launch
of Europe and finally cutting the umbilical cord with Britain and accepting the full
consequences of the hard Brexit being brewed up by the Tories.

These are not easy choices. They go against the grain of custom and practice. But they will
have to be made.

2017 irishtimes.com

Government and Fianna Fil have Ordered The Irish Navy To Participate in This
Anti-Human Operation!!
Luxembourg Foreign Minister, UNICEF, Medcin
Sans Frontiere, Warn Against Return of Migrants To
Libyan Concentration Camps
RTE Report and Interview with Luxembourg Foreign Minister
RTE RADIO News At One 17/07/2017
http://rte.ie/r.html?rii=b9_10749567_135_17-07-2017_
Text of RTE Report
Luxembourgs Foreign Minister, Jean Asselborn has warned that EU funds could be leading
to migrants being housed in what he called concentration camps in Libya. Mr Asselborn
said it was right to spend EU money training Libyan coastguards to save migrants, who
are trying to reach Europe, from drowning. However, he said, this must not lead to those
rescued being taken back to lawless camps in Libya.

Clip of interview with Mr Asselborn, Translated into English: These camps are
in part concentration camps-camps where people are raped, where there is no
Law. We can only manage this crisis if we work much closer together and dig
much deeper into our pockets to help the UN. Otherwise it means something
totally inhumane is happening in Europes name

Irish Times,Tuesday, February 28, 2017, 11:16

Women and children raped and starved in Libyan
hellholes Unicef
Irish Times,Tuesday, February 28, 2017, 11:16
Women and children making the dangerous journey to Europe to flee poverty and conflicts
in Africa are being beaten, raped and starved in living hellholes in Libya, the United
Nations childrens agency (Unicef) said on Tuesday

Mdecins Sans Frontires (MSF) Website

Mdecins Sans Frontires (MSF) has run mobile clinics in seven detention centres located
in Tripoli and the surrounding area since July 2016. The centres are under the
administration of the Directorate for Combating Illegal Migration (DCIM).

MSF provides medical care to migrants, refugees and asylum seekers who are arbitrarily
detained there. The conditions MSF treats include skin disease, diarrhoeal disease,
respiratory tract infections, urinary tract infections and acute malnutrition. They are the
direct result of the appalling conditions in the detention centres. In the first quarter of
2017 alone, more than 4,000 medical consultations were carried out.

On 3 February 2017, European Union leaders met in Malta to discuss migration,

with a view to closing the route from Libya to Italy by stepping up cooperation
with the Libyan authorities. MSF expressed its concerns about the fate of people
trapped in Libya or returned to the country.

FIANNA FAIL AND GOVERNMENT, UNDERMINE

IRISH NEUTRALITY
Seamus Healy TD Condemns New Alliance with
British and French Navies To Push Refugees Back
to Hell on Earth in Libyan Detention Camps
The flight of desperate refugees across the Mediterranean from Libya and the
rest of north Africa is reminiscent of the Famine. During its ten years from 1845
to 1855, 2.1 million desperate Irish people fled across the high seas in the hope
of finding a better life abroad. Imagine if those 2.1 million people had been
stopped and forced to return to Ireland. That is what Operation Sophia is now
doing in the Mediterranean.
Independent Alliance, Including John Halligan, Finian McGrath,
Sean Canney and Shane Ross Vote With FF-FG
Full Dil Vote-further down

Full Dil Speech of Seamus Healy TD

Deputy Seamus Healy: The Naval Service is participating in Operation Pontus as part of
a bilateral agreement with the Italian Government. Operation Pontus is a purely
humanitarian mission rescuing migrants at risk of drowning in the Mediterranean. To date,
the Naval Service has saved approximately 16,800 migrants.
The Governments proposal to participate in Operation Sophia, which is
supported by only eight of the 27 European Union member states, is an attempt
to abuse the legitimate concerns of the public about the continuing migrant
crisis in the Mediterranean and drag this country into a military role. I agree with
the Peace and Neutrality Alliance that involvement in Operation Sophia would be
a further breach of neutrality.
The countrys neutrality has already been breached by allowing the US militarys
use of Shannon Airport.
We are repeatedly told that the integration of the Naval Services operation in the
Mediterranean into Operation Sophia will be an extension of the formers excellent
humanitarian mission and reputation. Nothing could be further from the truth. While the
priority of the current Operation Pontus is rescue, the priority of Operation Sophia is to
force refugees back into the claws of the Tripoli Government. Under Operation Sophia,
refugee boats are being confined to Libyan coastal waters by military force where they can
be recaptured and returned to Tripoli.

The flight of desperate refugees across the Mediterranean from Libya and the rest of north
Africa is reminiscent of the Famine. During its ten years from 1845 to 1855, 2.1 million
desperate Irish people fled across the high seas in the hope of finding a better life abroad.
Imagine if those 2.1 million people had been stopped and forced to return to Ireland. That
is what Operation Sophia is now doing in the Mediterranean.

Libya has been in chaos since military aggression, including bombing by Britain and
France, overthrew the Gaddafi regime. There are now three unelected Libyan governments
involved in a civil war. This British and French-created chaos has given free rein to
traffickers and smugglers preying on people attempting to escape. Integration into
Operation Sophia involves allying Ireland with the navies of Britain and France and one of
the three warring governments in Libya.

Refugees International speaks of the ongoing violence and chaos in Libya, a country that
lacks an asylum system and where the rule of law is absent. Libyan refugees are being
confined to hell-on-Earth detention centres. Non-Libyan refugees, of which there are
many, are being placed in transit camps prior to repatriation to the countries from which
they fled. There is no right of asylum in Tripoli.

If the transfer to Operation Sophia goes ahead, it will be used in future as a precedent to
justify the further erosion of Irish neutrality. The excellent reputation of our soldiers and
sailors abroad will be sullied by association with human rights abusers. Above all, the Irish
people will be made complicit in the vicious oppression of deprived peoples. T m go lidir
i gcoinne an rn seo.

Question put: That the motion be agreed to.

The Dil divided: T, 80; Nl, 38; Staon(abstain), 0. (Ceann Comhairle 1, DID NOT Vote
39,-PH)

T Nl Staon
Aylward, Bobby. Boyd Barrett, Richard.
Bailey, Maria. Brady, John.
Barrett, Sen. Broughan, Thomas P.
Brassil, John. Buckley, Pat.
Breathnach, Declan. Collins, Joan.
Breen, Pat. Collins, Michael.
Brophy, Colm. Connolly, Catherine.
Browne, James. Crowe, Sen.
Bruton, Richard. Daly, Clare.
Burke, Peter. Doherty, Pearse.
Butler, Mary. Ellis, Dessie.
Byrne, Catherine. Funchion, Kathleen.
Byrne, Thomas. Healy, Seamus.
Cahill, Jackie. Howlin, Brendan.
Calleary, Dara. Kenny, Gino.
Canney, Sen. McGrath, Mattie.
Carey, Joe. Martin, Catherine.
Casey, Pat. Mitchell, Denise.
Cassells, Shane. Munster, Imelda.
Chambers, Jack. Murphy, Catherine.
Chambers, Lisa. Murphy, Paul.
Corcoran Kennedy, Marcella. Nolan, Carol.
Cowen, Barry. Broin, Eoin.
DArcy, Michael. Caolin, Caoimhghn.
Daly, Jim. Laoghaire, Donnchadh.
Deasy, John. Snodaigh, Aengus.
Deering, Pat. OReilly, Louise.
Doherty, Regina. OSullivan, Jan.
Donnelly, Stephen S. OSullivan, Maureen.
Dooley, Timmy. Penrose, Willie.
Doyle, Andrew. Quinlivan, Maurice.
Durkan, Bernard J. Ryan, Brendan.
English, Damien. Ryan, Eamon.
Farrell, Alan. Sherlock, Sean.
Fitzgerald, Frances. Shortall, Risn.
Fitzpatrick, Peter. Smith, Brd.
Flanagan, Charles. Stanley, Brian.
Halligan, John. Tibn, Peadar.
Harris, Simon.
Harty, Michael.
Haughey, Sen.
Heydon, Martin.
Kehoe, Paul.
Lahart, John.
McConalogue, Charlie.
McEntee, Helen.
McGrath, Finian.
McGrath, Michael.
McGuinness, John.
McHugh, Joe.
McLoughlin, Tony.
Madigan, Josepha.
Mitchell OConnor, Mary.
Moynihan, Aindrias.
Murphy OMahony, Margaret.
Murphy, Dara.
Murphy, Eoghan.
Murphy, Eugene.
Naughten, Denis.
Naughton, Hildegarde.
Neville, Tom.
Cuv, amon.
OBrien, Darragh.
OConnell, Kate.
ODea, Willie.
ODonovan, Patrick.
ODowd, Fergus.
OKeeffe, Kevin.
OLoughlin, Fiona.
ORourke, Frank.
Rabbitte, Anne.
Ring, Michael.
Rock, Noel.
Ross, Shane.
Scanlon, Eamon.
Smith, Brendan.
Smyth, Niamh.
Stanton, David.
Troy, Robert.
Zappone, Katherine.
Tellers: T, Deputies Joe McHugh and Tony McLoughlin; Nl, Deputies Aengus Snodaigh
and Louise OReilly.

Question declared carried.

.@FineGael & @fiannafailparty vote to rush decision on Ireland joining

#pesco. Undermining our neutrality, committing us to greater military
spending. #shame https://eeas.europa.eu/headquarters/headquarters-
homepage_en/34226/Permanent%20Structured%20Cooperation%20(PESCO)%20-
%20Factsheet

Government Proposes That Irish Navy Join British

Navy In Handing Over Refugees to Be Jailed by
Puppet Libyan Government-One of 3 Libyan
Governments Fighting Civil War
Recent Manchester Bombing Related To UK Military
Intervention in Libya
Government Proposal Endangers Irish People
 Government Proposal To Transfer Irish Navy Operations in Mediteranean from
Pontus to Sophia
Differing practice on Handing over of Refugees is being omitted from all media
coverage
Operation PontusIreland, Italy only-refugees handed over to Italian Navy
Operation Sophia25 EU states including UK , France by Agreement With
Tripoli Government-Refugees returned to Tripoli Government and likely
Jail (Hell on Earth-Refugees International)
There are at least 3 governments in Libya and a raging civil warTripoli Government
recognised by EU

UK and France bombed Libya to overthrow Gadafi-Now Chaos Reigns in Libya

https://www.irishtimes.com/opinion/letters/time-to-join-eu-humanitarian-sea-mission-
1.3097974

Sophia

Libyan Refugees being Returned From International Waters to Jail in Libya -Hell on Earth

Civil War in Progress-At least 3 states in existence Tripoli Government Recognised by EU,
UN?

EU helping force refugees back to hell on Earth in push to stop boat crossings
from Libya, report finds
Researchers say EU is disregarding international law and human rights

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/eu-refugee-boats-stop-migrant-crisis-
libya-drowning-mediterranean-report-refugees-international-a7766531.html
Research by the US-based Refugees International (RI) group warned that the EUs push to
prevent boats leaving the Libyan coast now the main departure point towards Europe
could fuel horrific abuses.

READ MORE
EU leaving migrants to drown say rescuers who saved 2,000 in a day
Tories plan to change definition of refugees and reduce asylum claims
Charities call on UK and EU to pull support from Libyan coastguard
The fate of people who are seeking international protection is effectively absent from the
plans outlined by EU leaders to tackle the Central Mediterranean route, its report
concluded.

With the ongoing violence and chaos in Libya, a country that lacks an asylum system and
where the rule of law is absent, EU countries must accept people on their territory through
orderly, legal processes that are viable alternatives to ruthless criminal networks.

The EU and its member states should also ensure that their funding and actions in Libya
do not result in or contribute to human rights abuses against refugees and migrants.

STATEMENT FROM PEOPLES MOVEMENT ON

GOVERNMENT DECISION TO SIGN UP TO MORE
AGGRESSIVE POLICY ON REFUGEE CRISIS
The Government should not be allowed to abuse the legitimate concerns of the Irish public
about the continuing migrant crisis in the Mediterranean to drag the country into the EUs
increasingly militarised response to that crisis.
Ireland has to date only participated in rescue operations in the Mediterranean as part of a
bilateral deal with the Italian government.

The Government will decide today (11th July) whether to join the European Unions
Operation Sophia.
The government hopes to put the plan to the Dail on Wednesday morning.

It represents a change in policy for Ireland, after Defence Minister Paul Kehoe told the Dail
in December that there was no intention to join the eight-EU-member-state-strong naval
operation.

The Irish navys work in the Mediterranean has so far been limited to participating in
rescue missions, within the mandate of Operation Pontus.

Over the course of two years, Irish forces have saved almost 16,000 migrants, many of
whom had tried to make the often-lethal sea voyage in basic inflatable dinghies and
unseaworthy craft.

Operation Sophia is currently in phase 2. This involves stopping and searching vessels
suspected of being involved in people smuggling. Only eight EU members are participating.

But the eight EU members the Government hopes to join do not intend to stop there.

Sophia makes provision for a Phase 3 which would involve an even more aggressive stance
and could include possible action on Libyan soil itself!

Will the Government acknowledge this to the Dail?

As in all these matters an abject policy surrender is motivated by a craven desire to please
our EU betters. Who will call, Halt?

The militarisation of Europe is a far greater threat

than Brexit -Prof Ray Kinsella
Irish Independent PUBLISHED11/07/2016 | 02:30The most searching challenge that
the EU faces is not the fallout from Brexit its from the militarisation of Europe and the
US-led Nato encirclement of Russia, endorsed by the Nato Summit in Warsaw last
weekend.
It is as misconceived as austerity and authoritarianism, which are at the heart of the
European crisis. But it is infinitely more dangerous. If the Chilcot Report on the war in Iraq
proves anything, it is that the momentum towards armed conflict, once started, becomes
difficult to contain.

Militarisation will make it much more difficult to deal with the EUs migration crisis, itself
largely a consequence of the catastrophic effects of Western military intervention. A
conflagration between US-led Nato and Russia would increase the numbers of refugees in
Europe by an order of magnitude. As for the impact of such a conflagration on the
European and global economy well, all bets are off. We could not begin to model the
impact but we can look at post-war Europe and Iraq and Syria and Libya Only what are
euphemistically termed Defence industries do (exceedingly) well out of war.

In April, I suggested in these pages that Europe was in denial. It was mired in an identity
crisis largely brought on by itself a crisis of values, democracy as well as
macroeconomic instability marked by inequality, youth unemployment and long-term
indebtedness among peripheral countries. There was no trust in Europe. The governance
of the eurozone is characterised by self-interest, subservience among weaker indebted
members and, also, tenacity beyond all reason, in persisting with failed policies.

In June, prior to the Brexit Referendum, I pointed out that while it was not the job of UK
voters to resolve this mess Brexit can force these same Euro elite to see reality. The EU
is incapable of understanding that the dissenting voices across Europe which they like to
dismiss as populism are not the problem: the real issue is the underlying causes that
have precipitated opposition to what the EU has become.
This perspective was vindicated by the EUs initial response to Brexit denial, anger and a
blame game.

Then, more positively, the first stirrings of a change in attitude by the EU Top Table
notably Dr Wolfgang Schuble including a decision not to respond to Brexit by pressing
ahead with union and not to overly pressurise the UK in implementing Article 50.

Militarism threatens this. The process of rebalancing and reform, including greater
democratisation across the EU, is now in jeopardy from the increased militarisation of the
EU over the last two years, which is set to increase in the wake of the Warsaw summit. It
is an appalling prospect.

Why do leaders never see these things coming down the track? Every Leaving Cert
student knows The Causes of World War I knowledge didnt prevent it happening. Why
did the leaders, with the notable example of Churchill, not see what was unfolding in
Germany in the short few years from 1935 to 1939?

Why did the US not understand the malign dynamic of the Vietnam War during the 1960s
and its consequences for Asia and the global financial system?

Why did leaders not envisage the catastrophic impact of the Iraq invasion?

Now, consider this recent statement by Nato: Since 2014 Allies have implemented the
biggest increase in collective defence since the Cold War Four robust multinational
battalions to Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland a brigade in Romania further steps
to improve cyber-defences, civil-preparedness and to defend against ballistic missile attack
extend Natos training mission in Iraq and to broaden (its) role in the Central
Mediterranean deploy Natos Awac surveillance aircraft to support the Global Coalition to
counter Isil

Now read the Nato Communique issued after last weekend. This is in just two years. The
scale and scope of this process has largely gone unremarked. So too have the ironies: of
more training in Iraq, of support for a Global Coalition to counter Isil when we know
that it was the military invasion of Iraq that largely created Isil, of defensive missile
systems ostensibly operated by Nato, which as a recent article in the Wall Street Journal
points out, are essentially American initiatives and can be redeployed in hours as a
long-range offensive system.

The purported justification for this new militarisation of Europe is the intervention of
Russia in Ukraine, culminating in the annexation of the Crimean peninsula and its re-
integration into Russia.

What is inferred by Nato from this is that a resurgent Russia poses an existential threat to
Europe. It doesnt stand up. It also puts fundamental reform of the EU and peace in
jeopardy. The sensitivities of Poland and the Baltic states to a military threat from Russia
are understandable. But that does not mean the argument driving militarisation is robust.
Nor does it mean that their interests, and the interests of peace and stability in Europe,
are well served by this militarisation of Europe.

Russia is not the USSR. The rebuilding of its economy and infrastructure, including the
modernisation of its defence capability, under President Putin does not remotely equate to
a threat to its neighbours.

The military capability of the US dwarfs that of Russia, in terms of assets and the number
of bases from which to project those assets. Russias defence budget is a fraction of that of
the US.

Moreover, the track record, and legacy, of Western military intervention in recent decades
demonstrably poses a much greater threat to global peace and stability compared with
Russia. But indeed any such comparisons are pitiless and, everywhere, add up to
incalculable suffering. The decision by the EU to facilitate accession to the EU by Ukraine
and, before that Georgia, was foolish and provocative beyond belief. It was foolish because
the expansion of the EU has created a Union so unwieldy and overextended in its
governance as to pose a threat now all too evident to its very existence.

Reflect, for a moment, on a Union that also included Ukraine and Georgia. To compound
that by facilitating accession to the EU and, by extension, participation in Nato-led
security arrangements of nations bonded to Russia geographically, historically and in
terms of language and culture, went way beyond provocation.

It has kick-started a vicious circle of ratcheting-up defence spending. The deployment by

Nato of men, heavy equipment and missile systems effectively encircling Russia will
inevitably elicit a response.

We have seen this kind of dynamic before it is taking Europe to a bleak place.

The militarisation of the EU has been rapid, largely invisible and facilitated by self-serving
propaganda. Diplomacy provides a better basis for engaging with Russia as a European
power, with shared interests at a time of global uncertainty.

Militarisation, now unleashed, threatens Europe.

Economist Ray Kinsella is Professor of Banking and Financial Services, and Healthcare at
UCD

Never did so many depend so much on a government that had as little talent as Varadkar's
blueshirts. Maybe we should send the Healy-raes - they couldn't be any worse
You're talking about going to war': TDs concerned
EU defence deal could lead to Ireland joining a
European army
Last week, the Cabinet gave the go-ahead for Ireland to take part in an
EU plan.
December 7, 17

NUMEROUS TDS and senators have voiced their concerns

about Ireland signing up to a European defence pact known
as Pesco.
The plan has created a controversy here amid fears that it
could undermine Irelands policy of neutrality.
Some argue Pesco (permanent structured cooperation on
defence) is the first step towards an EU army, with its
proposals including inclusion in the European medical
command, a network of logistic hubs across Europe and a
creation of a European crisis response centre, as well as the
joint training of military officers.
Last week, the Cabinet gave the go-ahead for Ireland to take
part in an EU plan.
However, as per the Defence (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act
2009, for Ireland to participate in Pesco, a government
decision and Dil approval is required.
A motion is due to be brought before the Dil next week for
approval. Countries have to sign off on the plan at the next
Foreign Affairs Council meeting on 11 December.
While some TDs argue signing up to the deal will impact on
Irelands neutrality, Minister with Responsibility for
Defence Paul Kehoe maintains it poses no challenge to it.
Historic decision
The Green Partys Eamon Ryan said the deal would have
huge implications for Irelands future budgets and the Irish
Defence Forces. He said a full debate on this historic
decision was needed urgently.
Tnaiste and Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Coveney said
the proposal for more structured cooperation on defence
and security issues across the European Union has been in
development for a number of years.
He said:
It does not, however, oblige Ireland to do anything. The
structure has, essentially, a voluntary opt-in that allows
Ireland to choose the projects in which we want
partnerships with other countries. Perhaps these could be in
areas such as marine surveillance, peacekeeping, training or
cyber security.
This is a practical response by the European Union to create
more structure around co-operation when countries choose,
on a voluntary basis, to work together in a more coherent
way. The Government will be recommending that Ireland
supports the programme.
Sinn Fins Aengus Snodaigh said the move is an
absolute scandal and hit out at the independent ministers
in government.
So much for the Ministers of State, Deputies Finian
McGrath and Halligan and the Minister, Deputy Rosss
supposed support for Irelands neutrality. It will be
interesting to see how their supporters react to this and how
they can justify such a move, he said in the Dil this week.
He claimed the aim of Pesco is to jointly develop defence
capabilities and make them available for EU military
operations.
Irelands neutrality
That is at odds with Irish neutrality. Our capabilities should
be available to the UN and the UN only. The minister should
bear in mind that it also allows for the EU alone, it is not
obliged to act with the UNs support. It can also be used to
support NATO operations.
When we raised this during the debate on the Lisbon treaty,
we were told that we were scaremongering. Here we are a
few years later, and we have been proven right. Ultimately,
the minister is talking about going to war, said Snodaigh.
Sinn Fin Senator Fintan Warfield also expressed his
disbelief at the governments decision to approve Irelands
involvement Pesco.
He said the plan is being driven by France and Germany,
which are both key members of NATO.
By signing up to this the Government would, in addition to
committing to providing troops to Pesco missions, be
committing to trebling current spending on defence, at a
huge cost to the Irish people, said Warfield.
Minister Kehoe said he was not hiding anything from the
national parliament on the issue.
I do not want deputies to leave the chamber saying that our
neutrality has been brought into question. The situation
could not be further from the truth. The final Pesco
document reflects the position of neutral countries, of which
we are not the only one. Other neutral countries have
already signed up to Pesco, said Kehoe.
European army
Earlier this month, the Taoiseach reiterated what Kehoe had
said, stating:
Ireland will not join a European army, nor will we
contribute to a common European defence budget.
However, he said he wants Ireland to be part of a common
security and defence policy.
Varadkar said security threats exist today which are not the
traditional ones that existed in the 1940s when NATO was
established and when Ireland enunciated our policy of
neutrality.
They include cyber terrorism, cyber attacks, traditional
terrorism and drug and human trafficking. We want to be
involved in European actions against all of these. We also
want to share our experience and knowledge, as we do
already, through the European Defence Agency, of which we
have been a member since 1992, he said.
Labours Brendan Howlin said Ireland cannot drift into
such an agreement and called for a proper debate on the
issues in the House.
http://www.thejournal.ie/ireland-european-army-2-3724837-Dec2017/
To: An Taoiseach, Leo
Varadkar
No To An EU
Army
AA

Campaign created by
Afri Action

Do not support in any way, financially or with our

defence force personnel, the deepening
militarisation of the EU.
Why is this important?
The EU should not be acquiring military capabilities or
competences - it is not a military organisation and neutral
member states such as Ireland should not be expected to
support in any way a military infrastructure that is incompatible
with the peaceful resolution of international disputes. Ireland
should continue its tradition of peacekeeping within UN-
mandated operations only and should refuse to participate in or
support increasingly militaristic EU operations as well as ever
growing military expenditure.
https://my.uplift.ie/petitions/no-to-ireland-supporting-a-military-force-in-the-
eu?bucket

Fine Gael evolved from John Redmond's Irish Parliamentary Party.

Redmond encouraged thousands of Irishmen to join the British army
during World War One where they were slaughtered in their
thousands. Now modern day redmondite Paul Kehoe, Minister of
State at the Departments of An Taoiseach and Defence with Special
Responsibility for Defence is working hard behind the scenes and
under the radar to get Ireland involved the emerging EU army. Kehoe
and his boss Minister for Defence Varadkar and ex Defence Minister
Bilderberger Simon Coveney have already committed our army to
PESCO (Permanent Structured Cooperatio) and to spending vast
amounts of money on defence. They want to buy bombs, bullets and
shiny new tanks, mostly from French and German arms
manufacturers. They would be better off paying our defence forces
decent wages and housing the homeless. But they don't want to talk
about their EU army plans and the scrapping of Ireland's neutrality.
Why?

http://www.thejournal.ie/ireland-european-army-2-3724837-
Dec2017/#comment-6731389

The Three Stooges - Varadkar, Coveney and McEntee showed their

naviety yesterday when the popped open the champagne to celebrate
a Brexit deal in time to get on the one o'clock news. Leo's Strategic
Unit were left with egg on their face once again, what a waste of 5
million. The deal was scuppered by the DUP dinosaurs because they
want a border on this island. Just like Carson over a hundred years
ago Arlene Foster and her quaint band of bigoted buffoons are
standing in the way of peace and prosperity on this island. Varadkar
needs to man up and tell these idiots that their 400 year occupation
of the north of our country is coming to an end and it would be in
their own interest to start negotiating a future for their people like
the apartheid regime in South Africa eventually had to do. The border
is not coming back and anybody who tries to impose it will be making
a big mistake because the people of Ireland will dismantle it brick by
brick. If Varadkar agrees with the weak and incompetent Teresa May
to any kind of border he will be turning the clock back and a new
generation of Irish youth will pick up the gun and reignite the armed
confict. Perhaps that's what Foster and her strange hybrid race who
don't know who they are really want? But make no mistake -
anybody who puts a physical border on this island will see it
smashed to smithereens.
PERMANENT STRUCTURED COOPERATION (PESCO) TO THE COUNCIL AND TO
THE HIGH REPRESENTATIVE OF THE UNION FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND
SECURITY POLICY
http://www.consilium.europa.eu/media/31511/171113-pesco-notification.pdf

As we watched the military display of the Irish State; commemorating Easter Sunday 1916,
presided over by Michael D Higgins, the Supreme Commander of the Defence Forces, at
9am on Easter Sunday in Shannon Airport, a United States Navy Lockheed C-130T
Hercules was protected by Irish Garda and Army personnel.
Were we celebrating our independent and sovereign state, or our submission to the United
States of America?

DISCUSSION PAPER Brexit- Launching Satellite Britain Andrew Duff

http://www.epc.eu/documents/uploads/pub_8115_brexitlsb.pdf?utm_source=P
OLITICO.EU&utm_campaign=0966ff998f-
EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2017_12_06&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_10959edeb5
-0966ff998f-189002005

Varadkar believes Ireland

should join new EU military
structure
Opposition TDs say further debate is required on whether
State should sign up to Pesco
December 7, 17
Marie O'Halloran

A new EU military structure that the Government supports is the start of

Europe taking control of its own defence, the Taoiseach has said.
A new EU military structure that the Government
supports is the start of Europe taking control of its own
defence and not depending on the United States,
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has said.
Ive a very clear view on this. A Europe worth building
is a Europe worth defending, he told the Dil as he
expressed his support for Ireland joining the Pesco
(Permanent Structured Co-operation Agreement).
The new military structure would allow the Defence
Forces to co-operate with other armies in military
missions around the world.
Mr Varadkar said Ireland would take a particular non-
aligned and neutral approach to Pesco, along with three
other neutral EU states which have signed up Sweden,
Austria and Finland.
Greater military co-operation under Pesco presents range
of costs
Fine Gael to ask Independents to back closer military co-
 operation
Dil hears claims Ireland selling out neutrality for EU
support on Brexit
Opposition TDs objected to a vote being taken on
Thursday to decide whether Ireland should sign up to
Pesco, amid heated exchanges about further debate
being required on an issue some claimed would affect
Irelands military neutrality.
Decision
The Government hopes to have a decision to join in time
for the EU Council meeting next week.
Sinn Fin defence spokesman Aengus Snodaigh called
for a full hearing and said there had been no proper
notice. He claimed it was an attempt to ram it through
the House tomorrow.
Labour leader Brendan Howlin said he had proposed
witnesses and the Army could be called to speak on the
issue but a joke is being made of that proposal.
Green party leader Eamon Ryan said it was not a small
issue to be decided in such a rushed way. It is a critical
strategic issue in terms of our relationship with the EU
and it deserves time, debate and consideration, and it
could be decided in January, he said.
But the Taoiseach insisted the time for a decision is
now. Lets make it. He said Pesco was included in the
Lisbon Treaty in 2009 and there had been ample time
for a debate since then.
Maybe not aircraft carriers immediately, but look at what is happening here. Tomorrow, the
government will try to ram through a proposal tomorrow to participate in PESCO - which
means participation in the drive to a European army and a massive increase of military
expenditure.
https://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/oireachtas/varadkar-believes-
ireland-should-join-new-eu-military-structure-1.3317621

Government hopes to
engage Ireland in new EU
military framework
Europe Letter: Pesco initiative is not an EU army but may
niggle at neutrality fears
Thu, Nov 9, 2017,

Patrick Smyth Brussels Follow @PatrickSmyth1

Irish Defence Forces in a mowag tank during an exercise in the Glen of Imall:
Irish involvement in Pesco is a significant means of enhancing our Defence
Forces capabilities. Photograph: Brenda Fitzsimons
When EU foreign and defence ministers meet in Brussels
on Monday, a special signing ceremony will be held to
launch the next phase of growing European military co-
operation. Twenty-two states will pledge themselves to
embark on what has been christened in the acronym-
rich world of political and security co-operation
Permanent Structured Co-operation on security and
defence (Pesco).
Pesco, a Franco-German initiated project, is a creature of
the Lisbon Treaty (articles 42 (6) and 46 of the TEU), a
framework for resource-pooling and enhancing the
effectiveness of member statess cash-strapped defence
forces, particularly their interoperability and research
programmes, to better equip them for missions under
the EUs Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP).
Currently there are 13 such missions, ranging from
military peacekeeping to civilian support. The Defence
Forces have participated in many EU military
operations, while Irish civilians are currently serving in
Iraq, Afghanistan, Kosovo, Georgia and the Palestinian
Territories. Members of An Garda Sochna are also
serving in the EU Rule of Law Mission in Kosovo.
Pesco is not, it should be noted, a European army, even
in embryonic form, nor even a military alliance, but a
formalised, binding mechanism to improve the
collaboration of independent member-state forces. A
way of doing better what we already do, as one senior
EU official put it.
A cautious Ireland will not be taking part in the Pesco
notification ceremony on Monday, only too aware that
any further integration into EU military co-operation is
likely to prompt Dil claims, however exaggerated, that
the Government is further diluting, or even abandoning,
the countrys neutrality.
Political signal
But Dublin will sign up. Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has
signalled his support for the project and the Department
of Defence will propose to Cabinet in the next few weeks
that Ireland should join Pesco before its formal launch at
the December EU summit. The issue will then go before
the Dil.

Our involvement is seen as a significant means of

enhancing our Defence Forces capabilities, but also an
important political signal to fellow member states that,
in the Brexit era, Ireland is committed to engaging
centrally in every aspect of EU integration. Despite our
adamant refusal to join Nato, that includes defence co-
operation, though the latter, with its mutual defence
guarantee, will remain the vehicle for what is known as
territorial defence.
The more a variable-speed EU emerges, the more
Ireland is determined to be seen as a core member of the
advance guard.
In a similar vein, it comes after the Naval Service has
signed up recently to the CSDP Sofia naval operation off
Libya, and our Defence Forces chief of staff, Vice-
Admiral Mark Mellett, unsuccessfully threw his hat in
the ring to become chair of the EUs Military Committee.
On Tuesday, in a five-way contest, he was runner-up to
the Italian nominee.
Although France sees Pesco as a stepping stone to what
the pledging document refers to as a new level in the
progressive framing of a common union defence policy,
Irish officials point out that Irish concerns about that
level of ambition are met with specific and familiar
guarantees: although not mentioning the n word,
Pesco will be run taking into consideration the specific
character of the security and defence policy of all
member states.
Defence spending
And while pledging in a general way to commit forces
and resources to common missions, the document allows
that this will be without prejudice to any constitutional
constraints. In Irelands case that remains the triple
lock of Dil, UN and Government approval for military
missions abroad.
The Pesco pledge that may cause most eyebrows to be
raised in Ireland is that we would be committed to
regularly increasing defence budgets in real terms.
While Pesco will function under the broad remit and
supervision of the EUs high representative for foreign
policy, Federica Mogherini, member states signing up
will retain their autonomy to contribute to particular
projects under its ambit and to specific CSDP missions.
Some 47 Pesco projects have to date been suggested by
member states, in no particular order of priorities: these
range from a centre of excellence for EU training
missions, to a European medical command, a logistics
hub, officer training, satellite capabilities, deployable
disaster-relief capacity, research on a new battle tank,
cyber training and rapid response teams, diver training .
..
Pesco is also to be closely connected to the new Co-
ordinated Annual Review on Defence, a rolling
assessment of individual member states capabilities and
the gaps in their resources, and the new commission-run
European Defence Fund, which will put EU money into
weapons research.
https://www.irishtimes.com/news/world/europe/government-hopes-to-
engage-ireland-in-new-eu-military-framework-1.3284395

The size and

location of Europes
defence industry
There is growing debate about a common
European military policy and defence spending.
Such moves would have major economic
implications. We look at the supply side and
summarise some key facts about the European
defence sector: its size, structure, and ability to
meet a possibly increased demand from EU
member states.
With a turnover of over 100 billion in 2015,
the European defence industry does not rank
among the largest manufacturing sectors in
the EU. Nevertheless, the industry employs
around 500 000 people directly and indirectly
generates 1 200 000 jobs (in 2014). This gives
the industry an additional importance beyond
its inherent security aspect.
The structure of the European defence
industry, similar to other manufacturing
industries, is highly dispersed with a few large
players and about 1350 small and medium-
sized enterprises (SMEs). While companies are
scattered over almost the whole EU, a few
countries (Austria, Czech Republic, France,
Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain, Sweden, and
the United Kingdom) host the bulk of SMEs as
well as top companies.
This top group consists of 31 companies covered by the
SIPRI Arms Industry Database of the Stockholm International
Peace Research Institute (SIPRI)
Even within the top group of European
defence companies, yearly turnovers range
between 0.5 billion and 23 billion EUR
(average 3 billion). Employment ranges
between 1900 and 154 000 employees
(average 30 000 employees).
European Defense Industry
Sales of Arms of Major Companies
(2015, in billion EUR)
.
US-owned production sites in Europe are not included.
Coloring based on 2015 sales in arms.
Source: SIPRI Arms Industry Database (2015), own illustration
Share
As shown in the map above, the UK, France,
and Italy dominate the European market in
terms of the number of active companies and
their sales of arms. In the UK BAE Systems
(23 billion of arms sales and 82 500
employees) is the largest defence company. In
France it is Thales (7 billion and 62 000) and
Safran (4.5 billion and 70 000). In Italy
Finmeccanica (8 billion and 47 000) is the
largest. In addition, Airbus, a trans-European
company, ranks second (13 billion and 136
000) in Europe after BAE Systems. Note that
some of these companies are not exclusively
producers of arms, which explains the varying
ratios of sales to employees.
Looking at smaller companies is difficult
because of a lack of information on Eurostat.
However, the data which is available indicates
that small companies are mainly active in the
production of weapons and ammunition, while
large companies focus more on vehicle
production and aircrafts.
To sum up, the European defence sector is
comprised of a few top players such as BAE
Systems, Airbus, Finmeccanica, and Thales,
along with hundreds of SMEs. A more
harmonised and streamlined European
defence policy might bring efficiency gains due
to a further specialisation of countries, regions
or companies in certain technologies.
The data presented here also show that the
European defence industry is not evenly
spread across the EU. This suggests that
increased military spending by EU member
states may not flow equally to all member
states. For example, Germany may be one of
the countries that will increase defence
spending most strongly. But Germanys
domestic defence industry is comparatively
small, and therefore might not be the
destination of increased funding. If increased
spending in one country flows to firms in other
countries, this could result in new trade flows.

Republishing and referencing

Bruegel considers itself a public good and takes no
institutional standpoint. Anyone is free to republish and/or
quote this post without prior consent. Please provide a full
reference, clearly stating Bruegel and the relevant author as
the source, and include a prominent hyperlink to the original
post.
The European defence industry makes a major contribution to the security and
defence of European citizens. The sector includes a variety of industrial fields
such as aeronautics, land and naval systems, and electronics.
Two hours. What can you do in two hours? Well your Government, consisting of Fine Gael
AND Fianna Fail, have decided that the future of Ireland's neutrality deserves just two
hours discussion time...

Then they will all vote together and permanently lock us into a EU superstate military
industrial complex that will end up costing us billions in money we do not have and lives we
cannot afford...

Just two hours...

And they will pass it like it's some triviality and the media will treat it as such...

For context on what this means for you and your children...

"The ambition is to move towards a European security and defence union, not re-open the
debate on a European army. But in a way, we are doing something that is much more
ambitious. We already have European missions and operations - 15 of them so far - and
we have created a single command centre for our training and advisory missions. We are
now working to build a truly European defence industry, a truly European defence market,
and a truly European defence research which are the basis for a truly European defence.
European military trainings are a concrete option. And the possibilities of PESCO are
immense, she stated. The CARD and the European Defence Fund (EDF) are also key
instruments in which the EDA has "great expertise, a huge potential - which also means
huge responsibilities - to support Member States and the Commission in their decisions"."

https://www.eda.europa.eu/info-hub/press-centre/latest-news/2017/11/23/federica-mogherini-opens-
annual-conference-at-most-important-moment-for-eu-defence-in-decades

State likely to join new EU

military co-operation
mechanism
Pesco projects likely to range from peacekeeping
operations to weapons research
Tue, Nov 21, 2017, 19:32
Pat Leahy

European Union foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini, centre, with EU

foreign and defence ministers after signing the notification on Pesco
The Government has decided to join a new EU military
structure that will allow the Defence Forces to co-
operate with other armies in military missions around
the world.
Ministers agreed at the weekly Cabinet meeting on
Tuesday to ask the Dil to approve Irelands membership
of the EUs new permanent structured co-operation
(Pesco) mechanism.
A vote will take place in the coming weeks.
Independent Ministers had raised concerns about the
implications for Irelands neutrality, but a spokeswoman
said they were now happy with the briefings they had
received from the Department of Defence.
Pesco projects are likely to range from peacekeeping
operations under the EU flag to co-operation in weapons
research. All projects will be voluntary, meaning
countries can opt in or out according to their own
wishes.
However, joining Pesco also requires states to increase
their military spending. Last week, Taoiseach Leo
Varadkar said this was a good idea because the Defence
Forces would need to replace equipment and increase
pay.
Pooling military procurement, one of the objectives of
the agreement, would reduce the costs of new
equipment, the Government believes.
https://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/state-likely-to-join-new-eu-
military-co-operation-mechanism-1.3300240
This battle was fought and won under England in the 19th century!

Social Media (Transparency) Bill Introduce in Dil

The main provisions of the bill are:

The requirement for a disclosure statement on any online political advertising

The disclosure statement is similar to that already on printed flyers and election posters
The disclosure statement will state exactly who published and sponsored the post and the target audience
The social media platforms will be required to capture this information when the ads are purchased
Failure to provide accurate or truthful information in the disclosure statement will be an offence
Deliberate organised use of multiple (25+) fake accounts, for political purposes shall be an offence
The prohibition on the use of public money for party political uses is re-stated (as per the McKenna judgments)

I introduced my Social Media Transparency Bill into the Dil today. The Bill aims to add honesty to the online
campaigning process by requiring all paid political advertising to carry a notice as to who sponsored and published it.
It also aims to address the phenomenon of mass bot accounts. Bot programs have the potential to influence news
cycles which we have seen during the recent US Presidential election and the Brexit referendum. This Bill is intended
to bring a robustness and level of integrity to the online political space that is already required by law in traditional
political engagements, and by doing so safeguarding our hard won democracy.

NI Weather & Flood Advisory Service has issued the following weather warning.

An early Yellow warning of Snow/Low Temperatures has been issued for Northern Ireland.

Early on Thursday a low pressure system which has been named as 'Caroline' Will move across the UK bringing
strong winds and rain (Separate warnings may be issued for this)

As this clears it will quickly drag in colder air across the country and later on Thursday showers are expected to turn
readily to sleet and snow over the hills at first but increasing to low levels.

Showers may become frequent and heavy at times, especially in Northern & Western areas which could lead to some
moderate accumulations in places.

Accumulations of around 2 - 5cm is most likely, with 10 - 20cm possible in some areas, especially areas with
elevation or where showers merge to give longer spells of snow.

Day time temperatures are unlikely to get much above freezing from Friday onwards and nighttime temperatures are
expected to be well below freezing especially in snow covered areas. There will also be a significant windchill which
will make it feel even colder.
We are also keeping a close eye an interesting little feature that could bring some rather heavy snowfall to some
places later Saturday into Sunday, however this could be a tricky one to forecast as conditions for snow may be
marginal, but it is worth a watch.

The public should be aware of possible hazardous conditions later this week. With Ice and lying snow possible this
may cause some disruption to travel, especially but not exclusively on high level routes.

This is an early warning and is subject to changes. Updates will be issued. Stay tuned over the coming days.

NB - Although our warning area covers all over NI, This does not necessarily mean all areas will experience the same
conditions and snow amounts will vary as it is in the form of showers. Our warning map is only given as an indication
of the potential for such an occurrence, even if quite localised.
EU: Military Europe: ... (PESCO) and the European Defence Fund (EDF)
... under the Common Security and Defence Policy ..
The most cynical rubbish I have ever heard says Richard Boyd Barrett. 20
binding commitments - permitting integration of Irish Defense Forces to NATO
#PESCO december 7th 2017

Two hours. What can you do in two hours? Well your Government, consisting of Fine Gael
AND Fianna Fail, have decided that the future of Ireland's neutrality deserves just two
hours discussion time...
Then they will all vote together and permanently lock us into a EU superstate military
industrial complex that will end up costing us billions in money we do not have and lives we
cannot afford...
Just two hours...
And they will pass it like it's some triviality and the media will treat it as such...
For context on what this means for you and your children...
"The ambition is to move towards a European security and defence union, not re-open the debate on
a European army. But in a way, we are doing something that is much more ambitious. We already
have European missions and operations - 15 of them so far - and we have created a single command
centre for our training and advisory missions. We are now working to build a truly European defence
industry, a truly European defence market, and a truly European defence research which are the
basis for a truly European defence. European military trainings are a concrete option. And the
possibilities of PESCO are immense, she stated. The CARD and the European Defence Fund
(EDF) are also key instruments in which the EDA has "great expertise, a huge potential - which also
means huge responsibilities - to support Member States and the Commission in their decisions"."
This Fifth Columnist has a plan for Europe

@TRobinsonNewEra
Timeline EU cooperation on
security and defence
Defence cooperation- Council adopts conclusions on EU-NATO cooperation,
endorsing common set of new proposals for further joint work

http://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2017/12/05/defence-
cooperation-council-adopts-conclusions-on-eu-nato-cooperation-endorsing-common-
set-of-new-proposals-for-further-joint-work/pdf

Defence cooperation: 23
member states sign joint
notification on the Permanent
Structured Cooperation
(PESCO)
http://www.consilium.europa.eu/media/31511/171113-pesco-notification.pdf

Security and defence cooperation- Council highlights the significant progress made
http://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2017/11/13/security-and-
defence-cooperation-council-highlights-the-significant-progress-made/pdf

European Council (Art. 50) conclusions, 20/10/2017

http://www.consilium.europa.eu/media/23512/20-euco-conclusions-art50.pdf

Joint letter from the EU and the UK

Permanent Representatives to the WTO
https://ec.europa.eu/commission/sites/
beta-
political/files/letter_from_eu_and_uk_p
ermanent_representatives.pdf

Permanent Structured
Cooperation (PESCO) - Factsheet
Bruxelles, 16/11/2017

https://eeas.europa.eu/sites/eeas/files/pesco_factsheet_14-11-2017_.pdf
EU, NATO cooperation Factsheet Bruxelles, 05/12/2017
https://eeas.europa.eu/sites/eeas/files/eu_nato_factsheet.pdf
Defence cooperation- 23 member states sign joint notification on the Permanent
Structured Cooperation (PESCO)
http://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-
releases/2017/11/13/defence-cooperation-23-member-states-sign-joint-
notification-on-pesco/pdf
NOTIFICATION ON PERMANENT STRUCTURED COOPERATION (PESCO) TO THE
COUNCIL AND TO THE HIGH REPRESENTATIVE OF THE UNION FOR FOREIGN
AFFAIRS AND SECURITY POLICY
http://www.consilium.europa.eu/media/31511/171113-pesco-notification.pdf

Smart logistics for future

armed forces
https://www.iss.europa.eu/sites/default/files/EUISSFiles/Brief%2030%20Sma
rt%20logistics.pdf

Federica Mogherinis remarks at

Call to Europe V: Islam in
Europe, FEPS conference"
http://collections.internetmemory.org/haeu/content/20160313172652/http:/
/eeas.europa.eu/statements-eeas/docs/150624islamfepsdeliv.pdf
HRVP Federica MOGHERINI on the announcement by U.S.
President Donald Trump on Jerusalem

Mogherini: Israel new plans 'very

worrying'
Feb 2, 2017
SUBSCRIBE 132K
EU Foreign Policy Chief Federica Mogherini called the announcement very worrying. The EU official
said the continued settlement expansion goes directly against the policy of the European bloc.
Mogherini reiterated that the European Union deeply regrets Israel proceeding with the move despite
international objections. The Israeli cabinet has announced plans to build 3-thousand new settler units
in the occupied West Bank. Since the U-S President Donald Trump took office, the Israeli regime has
announced a string of new settlement projects to add to the 6000 settler units.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AE817tUlLyI

President Donald Trump Israel

Speech, with Netanyahu, President
Rivlin, Tel Aviv Jerusalem
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP NEWS & LIVE SPEECH 2017
Published on May 22, 2017
SUBSCRIBE 64K
President Donald Trump Israel, Joint Press Conference Netanyahu, President Rivlin, Jerusalem 5/22/17
Tel Aviv President Donald Trumps Schedule for Monday, May 22, 2017 In The News, Trending
News, Trump Administration May 21, 2017 Donald Trump and Melania Trump Saudi Arabia Air
Force One President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump will depart Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
en route to Tel Aviv, Israel. The President will then participate in a bilateral meeting with President
Reuven Rivlin of Israel. In the afternoon, the President will deliver remarks with President Rivlin. The
President and the First Lady will then visit the Church of the Holy Sepulchre and the Western Wall. In
the evening, the President will meet with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel. The President
will then give remarks with Prime Minister Netanyahu. the President Prime Minister Benjamin
Netanyahu of Israel and deliver remarks in a joint press event with him. Later in the evening, the
President and the First Lady will have dinner with Prime Minister and Mrs. Netanyahu. All Times
Local // Eastern 9:30 AM // 2:30 AM The president and first lady depart Riyadh, Saudi Arabia to Tel
Aviv, Israel King Khalid International Airport 12:15 PM // 5:15 AM The president and first lady
arrive in Tel Aviv, Israel and participate in the Airport Welcome Ceremony Ben Gurion International
Airport 1:20 PM // 6:20 AM The president participates in a bilateral meeting with President Reuven
Rivlin of Israel President Rivlins Residence 1:55 PM // 6:55 AM The president delivers remarks
with President Rivlin President Rivlins Residence 2:15 PM // 7:15 AM The president and first lady
visit the Church of the Holy Sepulchre Church of the Holy Sepulchre 3:25 PM // 8:25 AM The
president first lady Western Wall Western Wall 6:00 PM // 11:00 AM The president meets Prime
Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel King David Hotel 7:25 PM // 12:25 PM The president
delivers remarks with Prime Minister Netanyahu Prime Minister Netanyahus Residence 7:30 PM //
12:30 PM The president and first lady Prime Minister and Mrs. Netanyahu, Netanyahus Residence
TRUMPS FIRST FOREIGN TRIP
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ibcv1qM4wPQ

Federica Mogherini on the

implementation of the Iran nuclear deal
following Donald Trump's statement
Oct 13, 2017
SUBSCRIBE 522
EN - Iran nuclear deal - Press point by High Representative of the Union & European Commission
Vice-President Federica Mogherini on the latest developments regarding the implementation of the
Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action or JCPOA (Iran nuclear deal), following Donald J. Trump's
statement this evening in Washington D.C. - 13.10.2017 - European Commission, Brussels, Belgium.
Federica Mogherini: "More than 2 years ago, exactly in July 2015, the international community
welcomed the result of 12 years of intense negotiations on the Iranian nuclear programme 104 pages
full of technical details, the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, the JCPOA. It is not a bilateral
agreement, it does not belong to any single country and it is not up to any single country to terminate it.
It is a multilateral agreement that was unanimously endorsed by the United Nations Security Council
Resolution 2231. It is a robust deal that provides guarantees and a strong monitoring mechanism that
Iran nuclear programme is and will remain exclusively for civilian purposes only. We cannot afford as
international community - as EU for sure - to dismantle a nuclear agreement that is working and
delivering, especially now. The International Atomic Energy Agency, the IAEA, has verified 8 times
that Iran is implementing all its nuclear-related commitments following a comprehensive and strict
monitoring system. There have been no violations of any of the commitments included in the
agreement. The scope of the agreement relates to the nuclear programme and it is being fulfilled. The
deal has prevented, continues to prevent, and will continue to prevent Iran from developing nuclear
weapons. The Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action represents a key and functioning pillar of the
international non-proliferation architecture that is even more important to preserve at a time of acute
nuclear threat. We believe we have a collective responsibility to preserve it for our own collective
security. The United States' domestic process and I underline domestic following today's
announcement of President Trump is now in the hands of the United States' Congress. The JCPOA is
not a domestic issue but a United Nations Security Council Resolution. The international community,
and the European Union with it, has clearly indicated that the deal is and will continue to be in place.
The European Union continues to fully support the Iran nuclear deal, and the full and strict
implementation of all its provisions by all parties. The European Union, together with the rest of the
international community, is committed to preserve it, to the benefit of all, including the Iranian
people." Q&A: Q. "Can Mr Trump terminate the deal? You just said he cannot, he just said he can.
Which one of you is right? Can you explain that to us? And secondly and crucially, if Mr Tillerson
comes to you in January or February after a change in the US law - if that happens - and says, let's
work on a successor separate agreement dealing with ballistic missiles and sunsets in the agreement or
Mr Trump will kill this deal, what will you say to him?"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b9rO1gCxjy8

EU's Mogherini on PESCO

Nov 13, 2017
EU's Mogherini on PESCO [13/11/2017]
Evil globalist whore

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qjZbtRjAmy8

Defence/Permanent structured
cooperation (PESCO): 23 EU member
states sign joint notification
Nov 13, 2017
SUBSCRIBE 523
EN- Foreign Affairs Council (Defence) - PErmanent Structured COoperation (PESCO): 23 European
Union member states* sign joint notification and hand it over to the High Representative and the
Council: joint notification signing ceremony, statement by High Representative Federica Mogherini
and family picture - 13.11.2017 - European Council, Brussels, Belgium. "On 13 November 2017
ministers from 23 member states of the EU signed a joint notification on the Permanent Structured
Cooperation (PESCO) and handed it over to the High Representative and the Council. The possibility
of the Permanent Structured Cooperation in the area of defence security and defence policy was
introduced by the Lisbon Treaty. It foresees the possibility of a number of EU member states working
more closely together in the area of security and defence. This permanent framework for defence
cooperation will allow those member states willing and able to jointly develop defence capabilities,
invest in shared projects, or enhance the operational readiness and contribution of their armed forces.
The member states who signed the joint notification are: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Czech Republic,
Croatia, Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania,
Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain and Sweden. It is possible
for other member states* to join at a later stage. The joint notification is the first formal step to set up
the PESCO. It sets out the principles of the PESCO, in particular underlining that the PESCO is an
ambitious, binding and inclusive European legal framework for investments in the security and defence
of the EUs territory and its citizens, the list of ambitious and more binding common commitments
the member states have agreed to undertake, including regularly increasing defence budgets in real
terms in order to reach agreed objectives, proposals on PESCO governance, with an overarching level
maintaining the coherence and the ambition of the PESCO, complemented by specific governance
procedures at projects level. The Council now has to adopt a decision establishing PESCO by
reinforced qualified majority. This could take place at the next Foreign Affairs Council on 11th
December. A first list of projects to be undertaken within the PESCO framework should be agreed by
the participating member states once PESCO has been established. These could cover areas such as
training, capabilities development and operational readiness in the field of defence."
(europeanwesternbalkans.com) *United Kingdom, Ireland, Denmark, Portugal and Malta did not sign
the joint notification Frdrick Moulin 2017 - EU2017 - European Council - All rights reserved.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ClSoWsLKUpM

Varadkar to commit Ireland to join

PESCO (EU Army)
Dec 6, 2017
SUBSCRIBE 629
The final nail in the coffin for Irish neutrality. Taoiseach Leo Varadkar is questioned by Independent
TD Mick Wallace about his desire (and Fianna Fail's!) for Ireland to join PESCO. This is being rushed
through the Dail with little or no debate and almost no discussion in the Irish media! For more
information about PESCO, see this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R375c...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CtuGBrkoLQc
Communication Launching the European Defence Fund
Document date: 07/06/2017 -
COM(2017) 295 - Launching the European Defence Fund
Drat general budget
of the European Commission for the inancial year 2017

http://ec.europa.eu/budget/library/biblio/documents/2017/DB2017_WD04_e
n.pdf

REPORT FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, THE

COUNCIL, THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE AND
THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS

A New Deal for European Defence

http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-
content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:52014DC0387&from=EN

Report on the Implementation of the European Commission's

Communication on Defence
http://eeas.europa.eu/archives/docs/csdp/documents/pdf/report-
implementation-communication-defence.pdf
Chaillot Papers are the Institute's flagship publications. Written by
external experts as well as the Institutes Senior Analysts, and
based on collective work or individual research, they deal with all
subjects of current relevance to the Unions security.
https://www.iss.europa.eu/sites/default/files/EUISSFiles/CP_142_ONLINE.pdf
Civil-military relations in the MENA- between fragility and resilience
https://www.iss.europa.eu/sites/default/files/EUISSFiles/CP_139_Arab_civil_mi
litary_relations.pdf

Towards a military Schengen?

27 November 2017
https://www.iss.europa.eu/sites/default/files/EUISSFiles/Brief%2031%20Milit
ary%20Schengen.pdf
European Security and Defence The basics 20 November 2017 By- Daniel Fiott
https://www.iss.europa.eu/sites/default/files/EUISSFiles/EUdefence%20leaflet
.pdf

Poll: Do you want Ireland to

sign up to the EU defence
deal?
The Taoiseach has said the deal will not affect Irelands neutrality but
opposition TDs think otherwise.
December 7, 17

THERE HAVE BEEN numerous concerns raised in the Dil

over the Cabinets approval for Ireland to join Pesco, the
EUs new defence pact.
Some argue Pesco is the first step towards an EU army, with
its proposals including inclusion in the European medical
command, a network of logistic hubs across Europe and a
creation of a European crisis response centre, as well as the
joint training of military officers.
The Taoiseach, however, has maintained that signing up to
the deal will not challenge Irelands neutrality and will not
mean Ireland joining a European army.
Varadkar said that Ireland can join in an opt-in, opt-out
basis. The opposition meanwhile said that a vote on the
matter was rushed through the Dil in a deeply cynical
move.
So, today were asking you: Do you want Ireland to sign
up to the EU defence deal?

Poll Results:
http://www.thejournal.ie/poll-defence-ireland-3736583-Dec2017/

The Dil has voted to join the European Union's Permanent

Structured Co-operation Agreement.
The decision to join PESCO was passed by 75 votes to 42.
Earlier, TD Mick Wallace said if Ireland joins the EU military force it
will the final nail in the coffin of Irish neutrality.
Speaking during Leaders Questions, the Independents 4 Change
deputy wanted to know what the big threat that the country faced
which required us to sign up to the group.
He said PESCO was, in effect, an EU army.
Dil votes to join
European defence
organisation
Updated / Thursday, 7 Dec 2017 16:42
Mick Wallace said PESCO was, in effect, an EU army

The Dil has voted to join the European Union's

Permanent Structured Co-operation Agreement.
The decision to join PESCO was passed by 75 votes
to 42.
Earlier, TD Mick Wallace said if Ireland joins the EU
military force it will the final nail in the coffin of Irish
neutrality.
Speaking during Leaders Questions, the
Independents 4 Change deputy wanted to know what
the big threat that the country faced which required
us to sign up to the group.
He said PESCO was, in effect, an EU army.

He was also highly critical of the lack of debate and

public awareness of the Government's plans to sign
up.
It would require a commitment to increase spending
on our defence forces at a time when we cannot
even pay its members a proper wage, he said.
In response, the Taoiseach said that for far too long
Europe had relied on the US for its defence and that
had to change.
PESCO, he said, would allow Europe to take control
of its own defence.
Like other neutral countries such as Austria, Finland
and Sweden, Ireland would be joining on an "opt in,
opt out basis," Leo Varadkar said.
"That would allow Ireland to join elements of PESCO
that were beneficial such as counter-terrorism, cyber
security and peace keeping," he said.
"What we are not going to be doing is buying aircraft
carriers and fighter jets," the Taoiseach told the Dil.
https://www.rte.ie/news/politics/2017/1207/925760-pesco/

Concerns Government will have to commit to

annual 3bn defence bill if they join PESCO
There are concerns the Government will have to commit to an annual 3
billion euro defence bill if they join PESCO.

The deal would see EU states pool their defence forces and raises issues
surrounding Ireland's neutral stance.

The Peace and Neutrality Alliance says the extra military costs involved
will hamper the housing recovery.

Executive Member, Carol Fox, thinks its scandalous to spend more

money on militarism and says the Government hasn't released details
on how they intend to pay for the deal.

She said: "It could require quite a big increase in our defence spending if
we are supposed to bring our capabilities up to certain levels then also
we will be committed to proming the arms industry through the
European Defence Agency and through other group agencies aswell.
http://www.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/ireland/concerns-government-
will-have-to-commit-to-annual-3bn-defence-bill-if-they-join-pesco-817557.html
It is hard to believe that the government is ramming through an EU agreement on
increasing militarisation across the EU with only 3 days notice. It is seriously questionable
as to whether this is even constitutional! But FG are just, once again, being yes men to the
EU.

The Government are trying to ram through the quadrupling of Irish military spending which amounts to
4bn. This has serious implications for our neutrality!

We should be spending this money on housing and health and not on arms!
This PESCO deal wont increase soldiers pay, it will simply mean a massive ramping up in expenditure on arms being
bought from European arms producers. In fact, the modernisation provisions in PESCO will mean a lower proportion
of the defence budget will be spent on actual soldiers and much more on military technology and arms, that's one of
our main problems with this agreement.
The EU is not a force for peace and security, it is driving towards increasing its military
power through PESCO. The government are signing the country up to support and
participate in this militarisation of Europe
https://www.facebook.com/paulmurphytd/videos/1543007019121
033/?q=paul%20murphy
The Minister with Responsibility for Defence Paul Kehoe claims that
all this would pose no challenge to our neutrality, which begs the
question what planet is Paul living on?
THE UNITED STATES OF EUROPE
This is all part of the drive towards what is euphemistically called
ever-closer union but which in fact is the drive towards a United
States of Europe (USE), a militarised USE, a power to rival the USA,
China, Russia.
Have a listen to my colleague, Paul Murphy TD speaking in the Dail on the RHI scandal and
the current Stormont crisis.
"The RHI sandal and the subsequent crisis sums up everything which is wrong with politics
at Stormont: corruption, cronyism and sectarian sabre-rattling.
In Belfast the Charles Hurst Ferrari Showroom will be heated using public money for the
next 20 years. Yet at the same time 42% of people live in fuel poverty.
In Arlene Fosters own rural constituency, 75% of GP surgeries face closure and school children in
will be hit by plans to end free school buses. Yet Viscount Brookeborough, the so-called Lord
Lieutenant of Fermanagh, will receive 1.6 million to heat his 1,000 acre estate, from this botched
scheme."

https://www.facebook.com/
sean4southbelfast/videos/16
35306390106583/?q=paul%
20murphy
European Union official told Reuters, he said of EU defence integration
efforts that date back to a failed bid in the 1950s. We are in a new situation.

The permanent structured cooperation on defence agreement (PESCO), seeks

to tighten defence between EU members and improve coordination in the
development of new military hardware.

Aside from Denmark, which has opted out of all EU defence, only Austria,
Poland, Ireland and Malta have yet to decide whether to join the pact. The UK
Government however have signalled that it wants a close security relationship
with the EU after Brexit.

Its in our mutual interest to work closely with the EU and its member states
to challenge terrorism and extremism, illegal migration, cyber crime, and
conventional state-based military aggression said David Davis, Brexit
secretary.

Paul Murphy TD speaking in the Dail on the RHI scandal and the current Stormont crisis.
"The RHI sandal and the subsequent crisis sums up everything which is wrong with politics
at Stormont: corruption, cronyism and sectarian sabre-rattling.

Dil ireann - 21/Nov/2017 EU Defence Issues (Continued)

remind this House that PESCO was comprehensively discussed in the context of the
Lisbon treaty and was approved by the Irish people when they voted for the treaty in
October 2009. PESCO was specifically referenced in the Lisbon treaty protocol to
address the concerns of the Irish people and Irelands declaration and that the
legislation setting down Irelands approval process for PESCO was published in
advance of that vote and enacted in November 2009.
Tuesday, 21 November 2017
Deputy Paul Kehoe: Information on Paul Kehoe Zoom on Paul Kehoe] The participation criteria
expressly stipulate that PESCO will be undertaken in full compliance with the Treaty on European
Union and the associated protocols and will respect the member states' constitutional provisions.
Participation in each project is on an opt-in basis and is therefore entirely voluntary. Three other
neutral EU member states, Finland, Sweden and Austria, have already committed to joining PESCO.

It is important to remind this House that PESCO was comprehensively discussed in the context of
the Lisbon treaty and was approved by the Irish people when they voted for the treaty in October
2009. PESCO was specifically referenced in the Lisbon treaty protocol to address the concerns of
the Irish people and Irelands declaration and that the legislation setting down Irelands approval
process for PESCO was published in advance of that vote and enacted in November 2009.

An Leas-Cheann Comhairle: Information on Pat the Cope Gallagher Zoom on Pat the Cope
Gallagher The Minister of State will have to try to incorporate the rest of his response into later
comments. I gave him five minutes.

Deputy Sen Crowe: Information on Sen Crowe Zoom on Sen Crowe It is an understatement to
say that I am disappointed. The Minister of State says that he is happy to announce this. I do not
know if the Government had any plan to announce it at all. Ireland's deeper integration into the EU's
military system is completely unacceptable and unwanted by the vast majority of Irish people.
Does the Minister of State accept that there are many people working within the EU structure who
wish to build a military structure to complement NATO and clean up its mess under the guise of
peace building? This is what PESCO is about. We are told there are no spare funds to go to positive
social and economic programmes in areas such as youth unemployment projects, community
regeneration, and improving public services such as health care, but it has already been announced
that 1.5 billion will be spent annually on aggressive military projects which ultimately will facilitate
a standing EU army. Any EU policy which aims to increase EU militarisation is a potential threat to
Irish neutrality and the Government should veto these plans. Today's announcement is hugely
disappointing. There has been no conversation or discussion in the House on the matter, just an off-
the-cuff remark. It is lucky that we put this question down for the Topical Issue debate or the
Minister of State would have barrelled ahead without any debate in the Dil whatever, just as he
usually does.

Deputy Aengus Snodaigh: Information on Aengus Snodaigh Zoom on Aengus Snodaigh This
is an absolute scandal. So much for the supposed support of the Ministers of State, Deputies Finian
McGrath and Halligan, and the Minister, Deputy Ross, for Ireland's neutrality. It will be interesting
to see how their supporters react to this and how they can justify such a move. The Minister of State
has just said that the Government accepts this and that ties these three Ministers or Ministers of
State, who have given their support for neutrality in this Chamber, to this move. This is a scandal.
The aim of PESCO is to develop defence capabilities jointly and make them available for EU
military operations. That is at odds with Irish neutrality. Our capabilities should be available to the
UN and the UN only. The Minister of State should bear in mind that it also allows for the EU to act
alone. It is not obliged to act with UN support. It can also be used to support NATO operations.
When we raised this during the debate on the Lisbon treaty, we were told that we were
scaremongering. Here we are a few years later and we have been proven right. Ultimately, the
Minister of State is talking about going to war.

Deputy Paul Kehoe: Information on Paul Kehoe Zoom on Paul Kehoe I want to tell this House, as I
told the Seanad earlier today, that there is no possibility of our position on neutrality being
questioned in any way as a consequence of PESCO. Contrary to Deputy Crowe's statement, this has
not been hidden away. It has been discussed in the open at EU level for years at every-----

Deputy Sen Crowe: Information on Sen Crowe Zoom on Sen Crowe Why did the Minister of
State not discuss it in the House?

Deputy Paul Kehoe: Information on Paul Kehoe Zoom on Paul Kehoe I have spoken about it here in
recent months in response to parliamentary questions and at committees. I have hidden nothing. I do
not want Deputies to leave the Chamber saying that our neutrality has been brought into question.
The situation could not be further from the truth. The final PESCO document reflects the position of
neutral countries, of which we are not the only one. Other neutral countries have already signed up
to PESCO.

Deputy Aengus Snodaigh: Information on Aengus Snodaigh Zoom on Aengus Snodaigh The
Minister of State has to ask this neutral country.

Deputy Paul Kehoe: Information on Paul Kehoe Zoom on Paul Kehoe Yes, because I respect the
triple lock. I respect what I have to do here. I could have signed up to this last Monday without a
problem but I have respect for the Government and the need to have it passed by the Cabinet and
then the Dil.
Deputy Aengus Snodaigh: Information on Aengus Snodaigh Zoom on Aengus Snodaigh The
Minister of State has no choice but to come here. He has no choice.

An Leas-Cheann Comhairle: Information on Pat the Cope Gallagher Zoom on Pat the Cope
Gallagher Deputy Snodaigh, please.

Deputy Paul Kehoe: Information on Paul Kehoe Zoom on Paul Kehoe Only then, if it is passed by
the Dil, will I sign up. I will sign up when it is the wish of the Parliament. This passed at Cabinet
earlier. I will bring it before the Oireachtas next week or the week after. If I secure a majority of this
House to vote for PESCO, I will sign up to it. If I do not get a majority of the Parliament to vote for
it, then I will not. It is the right thing to do.

An Leas-Cheann Comhairle: Information on Pat the Cope Gallagher Zoom on Pat the Cope
Gallagher The Minister of State will conclude his remarks.

Deputy Paul Kehoe: Information on Paul Kehoe Zoom on Paul Kehoe Projects such as this are
something our military people want to partake in. They see it as the right thing to do.

An Leas-Cheann Comhairle: Information on Pat the Cope Gallagher Zoom on Pat the Cope
Gallagher The Minister of State will conclude his remarks. I have been very lenient on time.

Deputy Paul Kehoe: Information on Paul Kehoe Zoom on Paul Kehoe I will bring it to the House
within the next two weeks to seek its approval.

Legal Metrology (Measuring Instruments) Bill 2017: From the Seanad

The Dil went into Committee to consider amendments from the Seanad.

Seanad amendment No. 1:

Section 1: In page 3, to delete line 15 and substitute the following:

Minister means the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation;.
Seanad amendment agreed to.

Seanad amendment reported.

An Leas-Cheann Comhairle: Information on Pat the Cope Gallagher Zoom on Pat the Cope
Gallagher A message will be sent to the Seanad acquainting it accordingly.

Finance Bill 2017: Order for Report Stage

Minister of State at the Department of Finance (Deputy Michael D'Arcy): Information on Michael
D'Arcy Zoom on Michael D'Arcy I move: "That Report Stage be taken now."
Question put and agreed to.

Finance Bill 2017: Report Stage

An Leas-Cheann Comhairle: Information on Pat the Cope Gallagher Zoom on Pat the Cope
Gallagher Amendment No. 1 is out of order.

Amendment No. 1 not moved.

Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett: Information on Richard Boyd Barrett Zoom on Richard Boyd Barrett
I move amendment No. 2:

In page 8, between lines 16 and 17, to insert the following:

3. The Minister shall, within 6 months of the passing of this Act, bring a report on the cost and
implications of abolishing the Universal Social Charge for everyone earning less than 90,000 per
annum..
This amendment seeks a report on abolishing the universal social charge for everyone earning less
than 90,000 annually. It is a policy which was in the Solidarity-People Before Profit pre-budget
proposal. It is coupled with amendment No. 3 which we will discuss in a moment which is to pay for
the abolition of the USC by imposing new tax bands on the highest incomes. There is often a debate
over whether, as the Government suggested, there ought to be some reductions in the tax burden on
those who earn low and middle incomes or more generally.

http://oireachtasdebates.oir
eachtas.ie/debates%20autho
ring/debateswebpack.nsf/ta
kes/dail2017112100038
Fine Gael/Fianna Fail have voted to ensure that the State is obligated to spend billions on
French/German/Italian weapons of war while homelessness is rampant...
That is all you need to know about these politicians...
Arms are sold to be used in wars. NO WARS NO ARM NEEDED. Build some much needed homes..Dont
get embroiled in American. European arms sales.
Our forefathers fought and died for our freedom a long and costly battle This shower of bastards sold us
out to the highest bidders in 5 minutes The need to get rid of the sly traitors is now a must
Solidarity-PBP TD Richard Boyd Barrett accused the government of pulling a "fast one"
with the vote today.
He said his party are considering taking a constitutional challenge against the government
plan.
The Dun Laoghaire TD said this was exactly the move the Irish people were afraid of when
they voted down the Lisbon Treaty the first time around.

Can France and Germany Make

PESCO Work as a Process
Toward EU Defense?
October 6, 2017

http://www.gmfus.org/publications/can-france-and-germany-make-pesco-work-
process-toward-eu-defense

European Defence Initiatives ... into force of the withdrawal agreement or, ... set the
competitiveness as a principle of the EU to cut the red tape

http://www.difesa.it/SMD_/CASD/IM/CeMiSS/DocumentiVis/OS_Pubb_File_Sing
oli_per_Area/Iniziative_Europee_di_Difesa/2016/2016_Catalano_OS_03_2016_
Eng.pdf
CAN THE EUROPEAN UNION BE REFORMED? ... Red tape Flexible Labour markets to encourage ...
NATO is being undermined by the EU Defence Identity and Rapid Reaction Force.

http://www.brugesgroup.com/images/media_centre/papers/ReformAndTheEU.pdf

industry post Brexit ... will there be less or more red tape ... It would seem unlikely that
the referendum result could qualify as a force .
EFTA or the EU Hugo van Randwyck ... the UK from EU red-tape would boost the economy and thus
increase tax revenue. ... the EU would like to have a defence force .

Defence diplomacy and the Australian defence force: ... that defence diplomacy is without value or ...
that can reduce red tape while creating avenues to .
The practice of military-to-military engagement has been strongly
embraced in the last few decades as a central tool for strategic
management. Many governments in the Asia-Pacific, including
Australia, have accepted the practice as an instrument of statecraft to
achieve comprehensive strategic outcomes: as a means of defusing
tensions, reducing hostility and shaping the behaviour of states towards
each other. This article examines Australia's broad approach and
practice, and argues that such transformative ambitions are overstated.
The evidence suggests that the benefits from defence diplomacy are
evident at the tactical and operational level. It is a mode to deal with
precise and immediate security issues, as opposed to the moulding of
major strategic settings. This indicates the need to better recognise the
limitations and conceptual flaws of defence diplomacy, and to
reformulate Australian defence channels and related engagement
prescriptions towards a more cautious, pragmatic and ultimately
security-related stance. Through the use of case-study analysis, this
research identifies both opportunities and constraints in conducting
defence diplomacy, while offering guidelines for its future
implementation in the region.
https://www.brugesgroup.com/images/media_centre/papers/EFTAorTheEU.pdf

Treaty on European Union, to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union and to the
Treaty establishing the European Atomic Energy Community and an amendment effected by
Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 741/2012

http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-
content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=OJ:C:2016:202:FULL&from=IT

Australian Defence Annual Report 2015 16 Volume one Audited nancial

statements
http://www.defence.gov.au/annualreports/15-16/Downloads/DAR_2015-
16_Vol1.pdf
Australian Defence Annual Report 2015 16 Volume Two Audited nancial
statements
http://www.defence.gov.au/annualreports/15-16/Downloads/DAR_2015-
16_Vol2.pdf

Fine Gael using cover of Brexit to push

through a vote in the Dil TODAY on
pushing Ireland onto the road to an EU
Army
Varadkar believes Ireland
should join new EU military
structure
Opposition TDs say further debate is required on whether
State should sign up to Pesco
Wed, Dec 6, 2017, 13:21 Updated: Wed, Dec 6, 2017, 13:31
Marie O'Halloran
A new EU military structure that the Government supports is the start of
Europe taking control of its own defence, the Taoiseach has said.
A new EU military structure that the Government
supports is the start of Europe taking control of its own
defence and not depending on the United States,
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has said.
Ive a very clear view on this. A Europe worth building
is a Europe worth defending, he told the Dil as he
expressed his support for Ireland joining the Pesco
(Permanent Structured Co-operation Agreement).
The new military structure would allow the Defence
Forces to co-operate with other armies in military
missions around the world.
Mr Varadkar said Ireland would take a particular non-
aligned and neutral approach to Pesco, along with three
other neutral EU states which have signed up Sweden,
Austria and Finland.
Dil approves Ireland joining Pesco EU military structure
Miriam Lord: Leo? The dude is a dove. Even when a Healy-
Rae threatens hellfire
Greater military co-operation under Pesco presents range
of costs
Opposition TDs objected to a vote being taken on
Thursday to decide whether Ireland should sign up to
Pesco, amid heated exchanges about further debate
being required on an issue some claimed would affect
Irelands military neutrality.
Decision
The Government hopes to have a decision to join in time
for the EU Council meeting next week.
Sinn Fin defence spokesman Aengus Snodaigh called
for a full hearing and said there had been no proper
notice. He claimed it was an attempt to ram it through
the House tomorrow.
Labour leader Brendan Howlin said he had proposed
witnesses and the Army could be called to speak on the
issue but a joke is being made of that proposal.
Green party leader Eamon Ryan said it was not a small
issue to be decided in such a rushed way. It is a critical
strategic issue in terms of our relationship with the EU
and it deserves time, debate and consideration, and it
could be decided in January, he said.
But the Taoiseach insisted the time for a decision is
now. Lets make it. He said Pesco was included in the
Lisbon Treaty in 2009 and there had been ample time
for a debate since then.
Maybe not aircraft carriers immediately, but look at what is happening here. Tomorrow, the
government will try to ram through a proposal tomorrow to participate in PESCO - which
means participation in the drive to a European army and a massive increase of military
expenditure.

https://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/oireachtas/varadkar-believes-ireland-
should-join-new-eu-military-structure-1.3317621

The size and

location of Europes
defence industry
There is growing debate about a common
European military policy and defence spending.
Such moves would have major economic
implications. We look at the supply side and
summarise some key facts about the European
defence sector: its size, structure, and ability to
meet a possibly increased demand from EU
member states.
With a turnover of over 100 billion in 2015,
the European defence industry does not rank
among the largest manufacturing sectors in
the EU. Nevertheless, the industry employs
around 500 000 people directly and indirectly
generates 1 200 000 jobs (in 2014). This gives
the industry an additional importance beyond
its inherent security aspect.
The structure of the European defence
industry, similar to other manufacturing
industries, is highly dispersed with a few large
players and about 1350 small and medium-
sized enterprises (SMEs). While companies are
scattered over almost the whole EU, a few
countries (Austria, Czech Republic, France,
Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain, Sweden, and
the United Kingdom) host the bulk of SMEs as
well as top companies.
This top group consists of 31 companies covered by the
SIPRI Arms Industry Database of the Stockholm International
Peace Research Institute (SIPRI)
Even within the top group of European
defence companies, yearly turnovers range
between 0.5 billion and 23 billion EUR
(average 3 billion). Employment ranges
between 1900 and 154 000 employees
(average 30 000 employees).
European Defense Industry
Sales of Arms of Major Companies
(2015, in billion EUR)
.
US-owned production sites in Europe are not included.
Coloring based on 2015 sales in arms.
Source: SIPRI Arms Industry Database (2015), own illustration
Share

As shown in the map above, the UK, France,

and Italy dominate the European market in
terms of the number of active companies and
their sales of arms. In the UK BAE Systems
(23 billion of arms sales and 82 500
employees) is the largest defence company. In
France it is Thales (7 billion and 62 000) and
Safran (4.5 billion and 70 000). In Italy
Finmeccanica (8 billion and 47 000) is the
largest. In addition, Airbus, a trans-European
company, ranks second (13 billion and 136
000) in Europe after BAE Systems. Note that
some of these companies are not exclusively
producers of arms, which explains the varying
ratios of sales to employees.
Looking at smaller companies is difficult
because of a lack of information on Eurostat.
However, the data which is available indicates
that small companies are mainly active in the
production of weapons and ammunition, while
large companies focus more on vehicle
production and aircrafts.
To sum up, the European defence sector is
comprised of a few top players such as BAE
Systems, Airbus, Finmeccanica, and Thales,
along with hundreds of SMEs. A more
harmonised and streamlined European
defence policy might bring efficiency gains due
to a further specialisation of countries, regions
or companies in certain technologies.
The data presented here also show that the
European defence industry is not evenly
spread across the EU. This suggests that
increased military spending by EU member
states may not flow equally to all member
states. For example, Germany may be one of
the countries that will increase defence
spending most strongly. But Germanys
domestic defence industry is comparatively
small, and therefore might not be the
destination of increased funding. If increased
spending in one country flows to firms in other
countries, this could result in new trade flows.

Republishing and referencing

Bruegel considers itself a public good and takes no
institutional standpoint. Anyone is free to republish and/or
quote this post without prior consent. Please provide a full
reference, clearly stating Bruegel and the relevant author as
 the source, and include a prominent hyperlink to the original
post.
The European defence industry makes a major contribution to the security and
defence of European citizens. The sector includes a variety of industrial fields
such as aeronautics, land and naval systems, and electronics.

The importance of EU defence industries

The defence industry is a major industrial sector. The sector is highly innovative and
centred on high-end engineering and technologies. Its cutting-edge research has created
important knock-on effects in other sectors such as electronics, space, and civil aviation. It
is a key sector for Europes ongoing development as a world leader in manufacturing and
innovation. The sector:

Directly employs about 500,000 people

Generates up to 1,200,000 indirect jobs (2014)
Had a turnover of EUR 97,3 billion in 2014, making European defence a major contributor
to EU growth
Invests heavily in innovation. The EU defence equipment market is technology and
research-intensive (electronics, IT, transport, biotechnology, and nanotechnology) with
many important spin-offs in civil sectors such as satellite navigation.
The defence sector involves more than 1,350 small and medium-sized enterprises
(SMEs) who are critically important to the supply chain. These SMEs are mostly
concentrated in six EU countries (France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Sweden, and the United
Kingdom). However, companies producing ancillary equipment and systems are found all
over Europe.

Challenges faced by the sector

Fragmented markets create red tape, hamper innovation, and lead to the duplication of
defence programmes and research. This undermines Europes global competitiveness and
the effectiveness of the EUs Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP)
Reduced defence budgets and escalating development costs make it too expensive for any
single European country to maintain a comprehensive national defence industrial base;
The defence sector is vulnerable to a shortage of skilled labour
Many defence companies are SMEs that require particular support in order to promote
competitiveness
The sector is highly regulated at national level. Until recently, Europe's defence-related
industries (primarily the defence aspects of sectors, such as aeronautics, space,
electronics, land systems, and shipbuilding) have operated outside the internal market.

The role of the Commission

The European Commission is actively promoting the competitiveness of the European
defence industry.
The key objective of the European Commission's defence industrial policy is to develop a
competitive and innovative European Defence Technological and Industrial Base
(EDTIB). An EDTIB is important for an effective EU Common Security and Defence Policy
(CSDP). This policy is designed to provide the EU with the capacity for autonomous action
when responding to international crises, without prejudice to actions by NATO.
A competitive EDTIB is also required to provide Europe with the ability to affordably
cooperate internationally in the development and production of defence equipment.
https://ec.europa.eu/growth/sectors/defence/industrial-policy_en
We're being asked to sell out
our neutrality': Government
accused of trying to rush EU
defence deal vote
Some argue Pesco is the first step towards an EU army.
15 hours ago 13,252 Views 102 Comments
Share127 Tweet Email1

Image: RollingNews.ie
TDS FROM NUMEROUS political parties have raised
concerns in the Dil over the last two days that
the government is trying to ram through a vote on Ireland
joining the permanent structured cooperation arrangement
(Pesco).
Last week, TDs and senators voiced their concerns about
Ireland signing up to the European defence pact
after Cabinet gave the go-ahead for Ireland to take part in
the EU plan.
The plan has raised concerns here that it could undermine
Irelands policy of neutrality.
Some argue Pesco is the first step towards an EU army, with
its proposals including inclusion in the European medical
command, a network of logistic hubs across Europe and a
creation of a European crisis response centre, as well as the
joint training of military officers.
However, as per the Defence (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act
2009, for Ireland to participate in Pesco, a government
decision and Dil approval is required.
The Taoiseach has maintained that signing up to the deal
will not challenge Irelands neutrality and will not mean
Ireland joining a European army.
A heated debated on the issue kicked off two days ago with
news the government wants a vote on the issue this week.
A number of TDs said there has not been sufficient debate
on the issue and pointed out that the public are unaware of
what such a plan could mean for Irelands future.
Wexford TD Mick Wallace said he was astonished at the
video Europe is using to promote Pesco and was even more
shocked that a small country like Ireland would consider
signing up to it.
http://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/policies/defence-security/#

That's it. Fianna Fail & Fine Gael back PESCO December 7th 2017

https://www.facebook.com/RevolutionIreland/videos/1721900541195601/

Sean Crowe on the PESCO debate currently on in the Dil. Pointing out the need to ask
the People... (Recorded on low volume so increase the volume on your device)..
https://www.facebook.com/lesleykirkman/videos/10214815961298803/

Sean Crowe on the PESCO debate currently on in the Dil. Pointing out the need to ask the People..

Poll: Do you want Ireland to sign up to the EU

defence deal?
THERE HAVE BEEN numerous concerns raised in the Dil over the Cabinets
approval for Ireland to join Pesco, the EUs new defence pact.
Some argue Pesco is the first step towards an EU army, with its proposals
including inclusion in the European medical command, a network of logistic
hubs across Europe and a creation of a European crisis response centre, as
well as the joint training of military officers.
The Taoiseach, however, has maintained that signing up to the deal will
not challenge Irelands neutrality and will not mean Ireland joining a
European army.
Varadkar said that Ireland can join in an opt-in, opt-out basis. The opposition
meanwhile said that a vote on the matter was rushed through the Dil in a
deeply cynical move.
So, today were asking you: Do you want Ireland to sign up to the EU
defence deal?

Poll Results:

Pooling Resources on EU Defence

European External Action Service (EEAS)

Published on Nov 10, 2017

How can we protect better and spend best? 28 EU Member States spend 200
billion per year on defence. We need to work together to be more efficient and
protect EU citizens.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gl9plpYWx6Y

He said the promotional video opens with the line: In a

troubled world, citizens want the EU to offer them more
protection.
Wallace said this is followed by images of fighter jets,
drones, Apache helicopters, armed troops running off
military transport helicopters, aircraft carriers and
warships, all to the tune of the kind of aspirational and
emotive modern classical one would get on an ad for a new
Mercedes.
He said there is no detail as to what exactly it will mean for
those who sign up, especially in terms of actual warfare.
The Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said he wants Ireland to be
involved, stating that it is time that Europe stops relying on
the US for its defence.
My view is that a Europe that is worth building is a Europe
that is worth defending. For a very long time, all of Europe
has relied on the United States to provide for its defence.
There are real threats to European security and, over time,
rather than relying on the United States to defend Europe
and pay for European defence, Europe should provide and
pay for its own defence and not be dependent on the United
States in the way it has been since 1945.
That is what Pesco and European security and defence co-
operation are all about. It is Europe starting to take
responsibility for and control over its own defence, not
relying on the United States in the way it has done until
now.
Ireland has a long-standing tradition of non-alignment and
neutrality, he said, adding it is something his government
will defend. He said Pesco will be different for Ireland as we
can join in an opt-in, opt-out basis.
We will only opt in to certain programmes and certain parts
of Pesco that we want to be involved in, for example,
counter-terrorism, given all European countries need to
work together to defeat terrorism, and cyber-security and
peacekeeping are further examples of areas we are going to
opt into, said Varadkar, adding:
I can assure the Deputy we are not going to be buying
aircraft carriers, we are not going to be buying fighter jets
and we are not going to be shopping around military trade
fairs for any of these things, as that is not in our interest.
Solidarity-PBPs Richard Boyd Barrett took particular issue
with the vote being rushed through the House.
This is a move to ram through a vote to move towards
joining a European Union army while quadrupling military
spending, he said on Tuesday.
It is deeply cynical. I wonder if the quid pro quo for
European support on Brexit negotiations is that we sell out
our military neutrality and ramp up military expenditure,
he asked.
Boyd Barrett said he had read the brief on Pesco and said he
thought is was absolutely outrageous that Cabinet agreed
to it when there has been no public consultation.
Rushing a vote
The Dun Laoghaire TD was not the only deputy who had
concerns about a vote being rushed through the House.
Independents 4 Change Clare Daly said the governments
move was a departure beyond anything I have seen. She
said she was assured some weeks ago there would be
adequate time to discuss the matter.
I object to it in the strongest possible terms, she said.

Sinn Fins Aengus Snodaigh and Labours Brendan

Howlin called for the issue to be discussed at the Oireachtas
Defence Committee.
Green Party leader Eamon Ryan said the matter should go to
committee so that the Defence Forces and the Army Chief of
Staff could be invited to make submissions.
I believe there should be adequate time to debate it in the
chamber, the Taoiseach replied.
Boyd Barrett replied by stating that the issue is as big an
issue as Brexit. I dont think so, said the Taoiseach.
The Lisbon Treaty
The Green Party, the Social Democrats and Fianna Fil all
voiced concerns about there not being sufficient time to
discuss the issue.
Eamon Ryan said he understands the government intends to
sign up to the agreement at the European Council meeting
on 11 December.
Any matter that impinges on defence is a matter of great
sensitivity for the members of this House and, more
importantly, for the people of this country, said Brendan
Howlin,
If the defeat of the first Lisbon Treaty referendum has
taught us anything, he said, it is proper debate on such
measures is needed.
Howlin said there is no rush to sign up to the proposals this
side of Christmas.
I understand there is a request to do so, but we may choose
to postpone our signing up until after the event. We must
have a proper debate, with experts invited in and cross-
examined, he said.
Varadkar said Pesco is not a new issue adding that it had
not been dreamt up in the past couple of months.
 This is in the Lisbon treaty. The treaty was ratified by the
Irish people in 2009. There has been ample opportunity for
a debate since then. There has been plenty of debate about
this matter since the Lisbon treaty was ratified in 2009.
There is a time for debate and there is a time for a decision. I
do not believe further debate would change anybodys mind,
nor would it allay fears based on any conspiracy theories,
he said.
Boyd Barrett made the point that the public knows nothing
about the issues at play.
The Taoiseach replied: It is the Deputys responsibility to
inform the public. He had eight years.
Minister of State at the Department of Defence Paul Kehoe
said there are rumours being circulated that Pesco will
threaten Irelands neutrality.
That could not be further from the truth. Sweden and
Austria, which have neutrality policies similar to ours, have
already signed up to Pesco, he said.
The Business Committee reconvened yesterday to sort out
the disagreement as to whether a vote on Pesco will proceed
this week and whether it will be referred to an Oireachtas
committee for further scrutiny.
A motion put down by Boyd Barrett to delay the vote on
Pesco until 2018 was defeated by the Dil yesterday by 73
votes to 49.
However, a government motion agreed to refer the issue to
the Oireachtas Defence Committee.

Minister Kehoe said Pesco was not being cooked up by the

government in smoke-filled room stating that not one
politician has come to him in the last few months to voice
their concerns about the plan.
He said Ireland plans to partake in six of the 16 projects
under Pesco which include being involved in the EU centre
for training excellence, the deployment of disaster relief,
underwater surveillance schemes, the upgrade of marine
surveillance and cyberthreat projects.
The minister said it had nothing to do with an EU army and
said that debate was had during the Lisbon Treaty
referendum. He said it was important that Ireland sign up
before 11 December as it would ensure Ireland would be able
to play its part in some projects and only those who sign-
up will have a say on the progression of Pesco.
A two-hour Dil debate is due to be held today on the issue
before the matter goes to a vote.
http://www.thejournal.ie/eu-army-pesco-3734034-Dec2017/

Don't let Fine Gael and Fianna Fail destroy Irish military neutrality!
https://www.facebook.com/nigelgallagherpbpsligo/videos/1982880078655017/
Our government told us we were neutral, and we fools believed them, US war planes in Shannon, Duh!
That's not neutral, if our state truly wanted to live at peace with the rest of the world then they'd disband all
military within our borders and make a formal declaration of peace with the rest of the world, you don't go
in guns drawn to declare peace and harmony with our fellow man.
We don't have the means to defend ourselves never mind defend Europe, get real...how many tanks,
fighter planes, submarines do we have?, all we have is a few gunboats, a lot of use they'd be in the
midlands...in other words we have fuck all!
This is serious !

Fianna Fil Join Fine Gael/IND. ALLIANCE to Defeat Amendment Requiring Wide Public
Debate on Joining Permanent European Structured Military Cooperation. Irish Neutrality To
Be Undermined and extra Billions to be spent on Armaments at the Expense of Housing,
Health, Education Welfare
Press Release https://wp.me/pKzXa-Ut
PANA (Peace and Neutrality Alliance) Press Conference in the Central Hotel, Exchequer
Street, Dublin 2, on Thursday, December 7th at 11am to highlight implications of Irelands
growing role in European military cooperation PESCO
Just a reminder AerLingus is owned by International Airline Group which is International Consolidated
Airlines Group, S.A., often shortened to IAG, is an Anglo-Spanish multinational airline holding company
with its operational headquarters in London, England and its registered office in Madrid, Spain.
Remember when one hand we was pointing at gay marriage question??? Yes that's correct and that's
when AerLingus was sold with the other hand.
Indignant righteous judgement from those who look with closed eyes and closed ears towards
the ills in our society .. if they thought this was insulting . then perhaps this classic is down right
blasphemous.. after all this is only pushing 50 years old and what has changed in ole Ireland

The Minister for Hardship

Dec 5, 2007
SUBSCRIBE 12
I think that this came from "Hall's Pictorial Weekly"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mLA-4zZM0cI

I wonder how many irish social justice warriors screaming for a world without borders etc will sign up to fight for
what they lecture us all on ?
Fine Gael/Fianna Fail have voted to ensure that the State is obligated to spend billions on
French/German/Italian weapons of war while homelessness is rampant...
That is all you need to know about these politicians...
Trumps go-to law firm is suing Greenpeace and others with a
SLAPP suit. The company behind the Dakota Access pipeline is
using this as a way to try and erase the history of the Indigenous-led
peaceful protests that took place at Standing Rock - but we are not
going to let that happen.
Take action against corporate bullies: http://act.gp/2AcVk4H
Have you heard of SLAPP suits? You soon will. Robert Reich explains.
Trumps go-to law firm is suing Greenpeace and others with a SLAPP suit. The
company behind the Dakota Access pipeline is using this as a way to try and
erase the history of the Indigenous-led peaceful protests that took place at
Standing Rock but we are not going to let that happen. Take action against
corporate bullies! >> http://bit.ly/2iZmHb6

Imagine these words were written 117 Years ago ..

"The Irish Trades Union Congress.
What have the working class of Ireland a right to expect from that gathering?
We know what we have received in the past much talk, and many schemes
whereby we might through combination better our lot as slaves, but never a
suggestion on the point of how we might proceed to abolish our status as slaves,
and elevate ourselves instead to the dignity of freemen.
For what, after all, are the various nostrums of Technical Education, Fair Wages
Clause in Public Contracts,
Amendments to Employers Liability Acts, etc., what are they in essence but
devices to modify the severity of the slave drivers lash, whilst still expressly
recognising his right to apply the lash?
Take Technical Education. It is a scheme to provide the workers with increased
knowledge of how to handle the tools with which they make a profit for their
masters; it will not increase the wages of labour, but it will increase the number
of really efficient workers seeking for employment, and competing against each
other for wages.
If thorough Technical Education were made universal it would make skilled
labour as plentiful as unskilled, and wages would be adjusted accordingly.
That is in any event the tendency introduced into modern industry by
machinery; it is the inevitable result of the division of labour in the workshop,
consequent upon the use of steam and electricity; but why trade unionists should
imagine that it is their duty to spend valuable time in advocating reforms (?)
which will destroy the distinction between skilled and unskilled labour, not by
uplifting the latter but by degrading the former, we fail to understand.
It may be pleaded that as Technical Education would enable us to compete better
with other nations it is a beneficent measure to that extent. Granted. But what is
most urgently needed in Ireland is a frank discussion by organised labour of the
basis and principles of the vile capitalist system which compels you to compete
or die; to snatch the bread out of your neighbours mouth, or starve yourself.
Technical Education will come. Of that be assured. The master class will
introduce it in their own interests, my friends, so please use your time at your
annual palaver at something a little more useful to yourselves and your class.
The Fair Wages Clause is somewhat more sensible, but does not deserve all the
enconiums passed upon it. What is it at most? If carried out in its entirety it
would ensure that the rate of wages paid in Government or Municipal service or
contracts would be as high as the terms your trade unionists are able to force
upon private employers. That is all!
Not a great lot to talk about, is it?
Especially in view of the fact that were you wise enough to think for yourselves,
instead of blindly following the interested advice of the middle class on the one
hand, or the muddle-headed traditions of English trade unionism on the other,
you could carry your trade unionism into politics, and elect sufficient men of
your own class to all public bodies, parliament included, to make these bodies
the mouthpieces of your own interest, and their conditions of employment the
ideal standard.
But that would be Socialism, you say. Oh no it wouldnt, not by a long shot. But if
you had a majority of your representatives in the legislative chamber, and that
majority proceeded to make capitalist property illegal, and to vote that all the
land, mines, railways, canals, factories, shops, docks, and shipping belonged to
the people of Ireland, and would in future be worked by them on a co-operative,
democratic basis, that would be Socialism and that would be freedom.
But as long as you recognise capitalist property, as long as you yield up to the
master class the private property you of right possess in the product of your
labour, and accept instead a fraction thereof in the shape of wages, then no
matter how you may strive to limit the power of the master, he is master still
and you are but his slave.
Probably you wont talk about Socialism at the Congress. You will rather orate
about the dignity of labour, although well aware that the majority of delegates
have to ask their masters permission before they dare venture to attend the
Congress.
Last year you resolved against the Overtaxation of Ireland, which only concerns
our Irish upper class, who wanted your help against the English upper class. That
was the result of your leaders being more anxious to get a word of praise from
the Home Rule press than to know what they were talking about.
Last year your president said there was no antagonism between employers and
employed. This year the same individual is in Dublin, busy organising the men of
his trade who have been shamefully locked out by their masters. Does he still
think there is no antagonism?
Consider, my trade unionist friends. We Irish are today the only working class in
Europe who are not in revolt against the slavery of the capitalist system; we are
the only people with whom the highest ambition in life is to get a good wage
from their masters; we are the only people who have not risen intellectually to a
conception of what life might be without masters; we are the only people,
outside of England, who are trade unionists only in the shop, but become the
veriest lackeys of our masters at the political ballot box; and we would all die for
the freedom of our country, yet would continue that country in the hands of
employers and landlords, who could at their will refuse us the right to live upon
it.
Are there amongst the delegates to the Congress sufficient MEN to retrieve our
name in the eyes of the world?
Then let them stand up for the only hope of the disinherited working class the
Socialist Republic."

Poll: Do you want Ireland to

sign up to the EU defence
deal?
The Taoiseach has said the deal will not affect Irelands neutrality but
opposition TDs think otherwise.
7th December 2017
Image: RollingNews.ie
THERE HAVE BEEN numerous concerns raised in the Dil
over the Cabinets approval for Ireland to join Pesco, the
EUs new defence pact.
Some argue Pesco is the first step towards an EU army, with
its proposals including inclusion in the European medical
command, a network of logistic hubs across Europe and a
creation of a European crisis response centre, as well as the
joint training of military officers.
The Taoiseach, however, has maintained that signing up to
the deal will not challenge Irelands neutrality and will not
mean Ireland joining a European army.
Varadkar said that Ireland can join in an opt-in, opt-out
basis. The opposition meanwhile said that a vote on the
matter was rushed through the Dil in a deeply cynical
move.
So, today were asking you: Do you want Ireland to sign
up to the EU defence deal?

Poll Results:
http://www.thejournal.ie/poll-defence-ireland-3736583-
Dec2017/?utm_source=shortlink

Taoiseach says Ireland will not

be joining a European army
Leo Varadkar failed to rule out Ireland signing up to a joint defence pact
with EU countries.
Nov 8th 2017

TAOISEACH LEO VARADKAR has said Ireland will not be

joining a European army.
Labours Brendan Howlin raised the issue with the
Taoiseach today, stating that the French President
Emmanuel Macron has proposed an EU army and a shared
defence budget.
However, the Taoiseach clarified today that Ireland will not
be paying into a defence fund.
European army
Ireland will not join a European army, nor will we
contribute to a common European defence budget.
However, we want to be part of a common security and
defence policy because we believe it is in our interests as a
nation and in the interests of Europe, he said.
However, Varadkar said security threats exist today which
are not the traditional ones that existed in the 1940s when
NATO was established and when Ireland enunciated our
policy of neutrality.
They include cyber terrorism, cyber attacks, traditional
terrorism and drug and human trafficking. We want to be
involved in European actions against all of these. We also
want to share our experience and knowledge, as we do
already, through the European Defence Agency, of which we
have been a member since 1992, he said.
European defence pact
Howlin asked the Taoiseach if Ireland will take part in
Europes permanent structured co-operation on defence
(Pesco) what some argue is the first step towards an EU
army.
According to The Financial Times, more than half the EUs
member states are expected to sign up within days to the
landmark joint defence pact.
Proposals for Pesco include work on a European medical
command, a network of logistic hubs across Europe and a
creation of a European Crisis Response centre, as well as the
joint training of military officers.
One of the goals is to reduce the numbers of weapons
systems and prevent duplication to save money and improve
joint operations.
Its understood Germany and France have led the attempt to
persuade countries to pool military logistics and troops
while also roll out the development of new weapons such as
a next generation tanks.
Its believed Pesco might be a way for the EU to deal with
defence budget restrictions, while also appeasing the US
who are calling for European countries to shoulder more of
the burden for the continents security.
Howlin said Ireland cannot drift into such an agreement,
and called on the Taoiseach to make it clear if Ireland plans
to sign up to the agreement.
The Taoiseach said Pesco is an opt-in or opt-out system.
In the first instance, it will require a decision by the
government and in the second it will require a decision by
the Dil. As there is no clear proposal yet, it is not possible
to put anything to the Cabinet or Dil. Once we know what
we can or cannot sign up to there will be a discussion at
Cabinet and a debate in the Dil, he said.
EU states that want to sign up must give formal notice at a
meeting of European foreign and defence ministers on 13
November.

http://www.thejournal.ie/irela
nd-european-army-3686674-
Nov2017/
Is the EU actually heading
towards having its own army?
This week the EU and Nato made their first ever joint declaration on
security.
Jul 9th 2016,
ONE PIECE OF literature cited by the official Vote Leave
campaign in the run up to the Brexit vote came from a group
called Veterans for Britain.
In a leaflet the group made up of former high-ranking
military personnel made a pretty definite claim about the
future of the UKs security:
If we stay, the EU is planning the creation of an EU Army.
The EU Parliament is in favour of it. This would mean that
the UK would lose control of its defence and its international
standing would be diminished.
The leaflet in question
Source: Veterans for Britain
In the wake of the Leave vote a number of its pre-
referendum promises have been called into doubt with
doubts over the 350 million being sent to Europe and
Britains ability to control its own borders.
However, with the case of a possible European Army
things are a little bit more complicated.
So are there plans in place for an EU Army?
While there is nothing immediate on the horizon, the EU
has been mulling over its security options for a long time.
Back in 1998, then British PM Tony Blair and French
president Jacques Chirac bilaterally endorsed the Petersberg
tasks a measure which broadened the circumstances in
which the political union can take military action.
In a joint statement on the matter, EU heads of state said
that it was agreed that the EU:
Must have the capacity for autonomous action, backed by
credible military forces, the means to decide to use them,
and a readiness to do so.
That would seem to be pretty clear about the aims of the EU
and concern about it isnt just the conservation of leave
campaigners.
Despite plans for the creation of a
Common European Army, Irish citizens deeply value our
neutrality and oppose any Irish role in the growing
militarisation of Europe, said Sinn Fin MEP Matt Carty
ahead of a summit this week to examine further ties between
NATO and the EU.
The overlap between the two organisations is significant,
with 21 of the EUs 28 member states members of the
military alliance.
Source: Statistia
While Carthy called upon Taoiseach Enda Kenny to oppose
any closer ties between the two organisations it would
seem they are now coming closer together.
The summit, which took place in Warsaw, Poland during the
last two weeks, saw the EU and NATO sign their first ever
joint declaration on security, with it stating that the time has
come to give new impetus and new substance to the NATO-
EU strategic partnership.
It is a blatant contradiction of the principle of Irish
neutrality, said Carthy, and the wishes of the Irish people
who wish Ireland pursue a foreign policy based on peace
making and human values.
So is an EU Army on the horizon?
While bold statements about further cooperation with Nato
might raise a few eyebrows, it is unlikely that a fully-fledged
EU Army will be a reality any time soon.
Currently, the EU runs six military missions and 11 civilian
operations across Europe, Africa and the Middle East.
However unlike UN peacekeepers troops working under
the coordination of the EU serve under the banner of their
own countries.

Ultimately, decisions on further expansion of EU military

power lies in the hands of
In a report on the EUs Global Strategy at the end of last
month, the High Representative of the European Union for
Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini
notes that the EU has always prided itself on soft power
and makes no mention of the creation of an EU Army.
http://www.thejournal.ie/eu-army-possibility-brexit-2868391-Jul2016/

Palestinians take to the streets of Bethlehem to protest President Donald Trumps Jerusalem declaration.
Watch on #facebooklive and read our latest coverage: http://reut.rs/2kvHqDR

Ireland's neutrality is under serious threat! Fine Gael and Fianna Fail have tried to sneak through a vote on
PESCO which would quadruple our military spending and bring us closer to a European Army.

government is ramming through an EU agreement on increasing militarisation across the

EU with only 3 days notice. It is seriously questionable as to whether this is even
constitutional! But FG are just, once again, being yes men to the EU.
https://www.facebook.com/peopleb4profit/videos/1514374641987391/
Peace and Neutrality Alliance Vigil this Monday at Dept of Foreign Affairs, US Army out of
Shannon
Drop in event at Fingal Adult Education Service between 12 30 and 2 pm Friday 24th
November.
Lariam compensation scheme urgently needed
the State settled the first case taken by a Defence Forces member alleging damage due to
being prescribed Lariam while on deployment in sub-Saharan Africa. In light of the fact that
the State did not even try and put up a defence of the indefensible in this case, the
Government must step up now to introduce a redress scheme for members harmed by this
drug while serving in the Irish Defence Forces. It is utterly wrong, and a shameful waste of
time and money, to force DF members harmed by Lariam to fight in the courts for years to
get the justice and redress they deserve.
https://www.facebook.com/ClareDalyTD/videos/2070836206265635/

Will EU defence pact cost us our

sovereignty?
NOVEMBER 26TH, 2017
European super-state
On November 13, foreign minister Ioannis Kasoulides joined 22 of his grinning EU
counterparts in signing a joint notification on the Permanent Structured
Cooperation (Pesco) at a ceremony held amid much fanfare in Brussels.

http://www.consilium.europa.eu/media/31511/171113-pesco-notification.pdf

The momentous event has got scant traction back home; no debate whatsoever was
held prior to the cabinets decision to join Pesco, despite the fact that some warn
the government may have just signed away the countrys sovereignty to the EU.

The EUs Foreign Affairs Council now has to adopt a decision establishing Pesco by
qualified majority, at the next Council set for December 11.

But that is a formality; essentially Cyprus accession to Pesco is a done deal.

Dil Divisions (Votes) EU Defence Issues (Continued) Legal Metrology (Measuring Instruments) Bill
2017:
http://oireachtasdebates.oireachtas.ie/debates%20authoring/debateswebpack.nsf/takes/
dail2017112100038
Proposed approval by Dil ireann of Irelands participation in two
European Defence Agency Projects: Motion

That Dil ireann approves Ireland's participation ... us with the EU military project further erodes
our ... decision that Ireland should join PESCO?
https://beta.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/dail/2017-11-30/24/
Proposed approval by Dil ireann of Irelands participation in two European Defence Agency
Projects: Motion

Back to list
Paul Kehoe
Minister of State at the Department of Defence (Deputy Paul Kehoe)

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I move:
That Dil ireann approves Ireland's participation in two European Defence Agency projects (1)
Joint Procurement Arrangement for EU SatCom Market and (2) European Centre for Manual
Neutralisation Capabilities, ECMAN, pursuant to section 2 of the Defence (Miscellaneous
Provisions) Act 2009.
In commending the motion, I will briefly outline the function of the European Defence Agency,
EDA, and the background to the programmes in which Ireland wishes to participate. I brought this
motion before a meeting of the Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade yesterday. The EDA
is an agency of the European Union and was established by a joint action of the Council of the
European Union in 2004. Its purpose is to support the member states and the Council in their efforts
to improve European defence capabilities in the field of crisis management and to sustain the
European security and defence policy as it stands and as it develops in the future. On 6 July 2004,
the Government approved Ireland's participation in the framework of the EDA. The agency is
focused on assisting member states in capability development and obtaining better value for existing
spending levels, improving competitiveness and securing greater efficiency, particularly in the area
of research, technology and procurement of defence capabilities. The primary reason for Ireland's
participation in the agency is to support the development of Defence Forces capabilities for
peacekeeping and international crisis management operations. The Defence (Miscellaneous
Provisions) Act 2009 prescribes that participation in projects or programmes in the EDA is subject to
Government and Dil approval.
The proposal put forward by me today is to seek approval for Ireland to participate in two EDA
projects - one in the area of satellite communications and one in the area of manual neutralisation
capabilities. The aim of this joint procurement arrangement is to provide commercially available
satellite communications, fixed and mobile, as well as related services through the establishment of
framework agreements on behalf of the contributing members, to promote ease of access and to
improve efficiency. The provision of strategic satellite services is an essential prerequisite for the
major deployment of troops overseas and in support of other major operations. It is vital that the
Defence Forces maintain appropriate systems and procedures for the provision of strategic satellite
services. This project represents an opportunity not only to procure satellite services in an efficient,
cost-effective and timely manner but also to ensure security of supply and back-up in the event of
any failure on the part of an existing supplier or an urgent operational requirement which cannot be
met under Ireland's normal contractual arrangements. There are no costs to the Exchequer arising
from participation in this arrangement. Costs only arise if the service is availed of on a pay-per-use
basis.
I will now provide some detail on the second EDA project, which is the European Centre for Manual
Neutralisation Capabilities, ECMAN. The ECMAN category B project is a follow-on activity of the
EDA's category B programme on manual neutralisation techniques courses and exercises
programme. Ireland's participation in that programme was approved in 2013 and will finish in 2018.
The aim of this follow on project is to continue to develop manual neutralisation capabilities to the
highest standards in order to retain capacity in dealing with improvised explosive devices when it is
not possible to destroy or disrupt the device through other means, for example, a controlled
explosion. Participation in this project would provide explosive ordnance disposal personnel with
access to a training system which is designed to continuously update and improve their safety when
operating in an extreme environment. It also enables those already qualified to maintain skill levels
through an efficient relicensing arrangement linked to refresher courses. This capability is highly
specialised. There is a lack of availability elsewhere due to its sensitive and classified nature and it is
mainly developed through multinational framework arrangements. The cost to the Exchequer of
Ireland's participation in ECMAN is 75,000 per year for six years - a total of 450,000 over the
lifetime of the project. The costs will be met from within existing resources.
Ireland's participation in the EDA affords us the opportunity to keep abreast of best practice and new
developments in the defence environment, particularly as it impacts on multinational crisis
management operations. The Government's White Paper on Defence, published in August 2015,
states that Ireland will identify opportunities to participate in multi-national capability development
projects within the framework of the EDA in support of the Defence Forces' operations, capacity and
capability. These projects are prime examples of how the Defence Forces can develop their
capabilities in satellite communications and in manual neutralisation capabilities.
I commend the motion to the House.
Lisa Chambers
Deputy Lisa Chambers

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At the outset, I acknowledge the wives and partners of members of the Defence Forces who are
protesting outside the House today and who will be there for the next number of hours. I will be
joining them when I leave the Chamber. I wish them well and congratulate them on the fantastic
work they have done to date in highlighting the difficulties their partners face serving in the Defence
Forces in light of current pay and conditions.
Fianna Fil will be supporting the motion. The EDA was established under a joint action of the
Council of Ministers in July 2004 during the Irish Presidency.
Its mission, as stated on its website, is to support the member states and the Council in their effort to
improve European defence capabilities in the field of crisis management and to sustain the European
security and defence policy as it stands now and to develop it in the future. Ireland has participated
in the framework of the EDA since it was established and it is important to note our participation in
it does not impose specific obligations or commitments on Ireland, only that we make a contribution
to the budget which funds the agency's day-to-day running.
Within its key mission, the EDA has three main sub-missions. They are to support the development
of defence capabilities and military co-operation among the European member states; stimulating
defence research in technology and strengthening the European defence industry; and acting as a
military interface to EU policies. This work is done for the purposes of good and with the sole
interest of protecting our people. We and the European Union are facing new and evolving threats all
of the time. One prime example of this is in the area of cyber security. We need to protect our public
services and ensure the business community and the many multinationals operating here operate in a
safe jurisdiction and that we have protections in place to protect them from a cyber attack. Surely we
can all agree and see the benefits of working with other member states to research in this area and to
develop new technologies by pooling resources and technologies and allowing a small country such
as ours to benefit from economies of scale by working with others. This approach is a no-brainer.
We would be foolish and reckless to opt out instead of participating.
The key activities of our Defence Forces internationally are peace-keeping, co-operation with other
countries in conflict prevention, strengthening national and international security and operating
within a global community to promote peace and security across the globe. As a nation, we have a
very proud record of operating within the UN. Since we became involved, our service has been
constant; we have never had a day's break. Participation in the European Defence Agency means
Ireland has access to research and information that allows us to develop and maintain our military
capabilities. For the most part, due to the size of our country, this is research we cannot generate
ourselves. Ireland's objectives in participating in the European Defence Agency is to achieve
economies of scale in participating in defence procurement and to keep up-to-date on best practices,
particularly in the area of multinational crisis management. This important work on the part of our
Defence Forces is to keep up-to-date on best practice and to build the capabilities of our Defence
Forces and in turn protect those serving in the Irish Defence Forces. This important work requires us
to have the most up-to-date training and the best possible capabilities and that we enhance our
capabilities and capacity by working with other member states. Some in the House are quite happy
to laud the Defence Forces for their great humanitarian work, most recently in the Mediterranean,
yet they will stand up and oppose any training of our troops to prepare them for this important work.
The hypocrisy is unbelievable. I have said in the House before when our soldiers go overseas they
are not going on holiday; they are operating in dangerous environments. We must at all times ensure
our people have the best training and that they participate in training exercises with armies from
other countries so we can share our knowledge and learn from best practice. We cannot take an
insular approach to defence activities. The work our soldiers do in this sphere is peace-keeping and
peace enforcement. We should always support any training activity that prepares them for such
work.
I will address the two projects which are the basis of this motion. The EU Satellite Communications
Market, category B project allows us to participate in a satellite service where all the member states
pool resources and we access the resource only if we need it. This clearly allows for economies of
scale for a country such as ours. Communications are vitally important in this day and age. We need
to ensure we have a service that is consistently present and that there is no lapse in service. There is
no cost unless we use it. Supporting this project and participating in it is sensible and wise.
The second project, the European Centre for Manual Neutralisation Capabilities, ECMAN, category
B project, deals with providing courses and training for soldiers dealing with improvised explosive
devices, IEDs. We have key expertise and experience in this area. Unfortunately we have lost
experts in this area in the past number of years. We still have something to offer to other member
states by participating and giving to the EDA and this project. We can also learn. The cost of this
project presents value for money for our Defence Forces and our country and I am very happy to
support it on behalf of the Fianna Fil Party.
Aengus Snodaigh
Deputy Aengus Snodaigh

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I also acknowledge the great work of the wives and partners of the Defence Forces members and the
fact they have had to come to Dublin today to protest and highlight the demands for pay and
conditions. It is a disgrace and the situation is getting worse and not better. My approach to all the
EU defence related motions that have come before the House since the Lisbon Treaty referendum
result, which tied Ireland to the European Defence Agency, is to view them with a healthy amount of
suspicion, given the purpose of the European Defence Agency and most of our EU partners is to
gradually achieve an EU army and to increase military spending. The other aim is to increase
interoperability, make national armies indistinct from and dependent on each other and to enhance
military capabilities above what would be required, even in an Armageddon scenario, to defend the
EU. We acknowledge that Ireland has a unique reputation to protect in terms of our neutrality and
proud record of peace-keeping with the UN over decades. Every step that further aligns us with the
EU military project further erodes our neutrality and further undermines the reputation built on UN
duties, which have resulted in the loss of 86 Irish soldiers since 1960. Nobody is denying the threat
level is greater in today's world and that armies and armed groups around the world are becoming
more sophisticated, as the Minister said in committee yesterday. There is a need to afford the
soldiers of the Defence Forces the greatest level of protection possible and for their skills to be
increasingly honed and their equipment adequate not only to protect themselves but also to protect
those they seek to protect. That can be done without eroding our national interest and our neutrality.
The State's neutrality should not be sacrificed on the altar of interoperability and greater efficiencies.
In committee yesterday, I argued that one of the motions to which we are being asked to sign up,
while being benign, could increase our dependence on the EU military machine. Signing up to the
EU Satellite Communications Market, category B project ties our military, Army and Navy
operating overseas to the same satellite communications system as most other EU countries despite
the fact we already have a satellite communications contract which to date nobody has highlighted as
flawed and as far as I know there is no problem with it.
I was told yesterday that the European Defence Agency system run via an Airbus Eurostar or other
equivalent satellite is just a back-up. Interestingly the EDA satellite communications contract is with
Airbus, which is one of the largest suppliers of such communications in the world. It is a French
company with more than 14 billion turnover. While I was told - it was repeated today - there is no
additional cost and it will only arise each time we use it, I believe the system will be used every time
the Irish Defence Forces are on operational deployments overseas with troops of other countries
because it ensures the buzzword of interoperability.
While we have signed up to interoperability on this, we are no closer to protecting our soldiers
abroad or at home from Lariam, despite a Dil motion instructing the Minister and military to do so.
We are also way behind other EU militaries in admitting the failures of the past and the legacy of
very sick serving and former members of the Air Corps. When will these issues get the same
attention as the headlong rush into the EU-led military agenda?
On the second tongue-twisting motion before us today, the European Centre for Manual
Neutralisation Capabilities, category B, I highlighted the dangerously low levels in the Defence
Forces of skills in explosive ordnance disposal personnel. I am concerned that if they are away on
training courses with this project, it would leave the country more exposed and put more pressures
on the soldiers who are still at home and who are already over-stretched to cover call-outs. I was not
reassured by the reply because it did not show how that section of the Army would grow quickly
enough to address this shortfall. I also asked where within the very tight defence budget were they
able to find the annual 75,000 it will cost? What will suffer as a consequence?
I apologise that I am about to step out. I want to visit the protest outside and I will be back before the
end of the debate.
Brendan Ryan
Deputy Brendan Ryan

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I wish to deal with the two elements in the motion before us, which the Labour Party will be
supporting. The first element on joint procurement of satellite communications makes sense to me,
providing for efficient procurement, economies of scale and all that goes with it. There is no cost to
us unless we decide to purchase. I do not see any downside to that aspect of the motion.
The second element relating to training in improvised explosive devices also makes sense to me. I
would certainly see providing access to training as being attractive to the personnel themselves. In
any organisation, people tend to jump at an opportunity to enhance their skills level. I believe this
will also be positive. This element appears to cost us 450,000. The Minister of State has indicated
that will come from existing resources. However, if something comes from existing resources, a pot
somewhere is reduced with less funding available for some element of the budget. I would be
happier not to see a budget cut for some line element associated with this.
Earlier I met the people outside the gates of Leinster House. In his earlier contribution, Deputy
Howlin identified the need for a special review of pay for Defence Forces personnel. I thought the
Tnaiste's response was reasonably positive in terms of taking advice from the Minister of State at
the Department of Defence. I call for it again today. It is a scandal that Defence Forces personnel are
relying on family income supplement, a matter I have raised previously in defence debates.
Overall, I do not see any downside to the two elements in the motion. As I said at the beginning, the
Labour Party will support it.
Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett

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I am absolutely opposed to this further integration of this country into European military industrial
complex. It is laughable that the Government and Fianna Fil can try to justify this as being
somehow in our interests to protect us against cyberterrorism.
Deputy Clare Daly
Share
Labour is also voting for it.
Richard Boyd Barrett
Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett

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That is even worse.
What a load of nonsense. The European Union border regime alone is like some sort of horrific
nightmare from a dystopian science fiction horror movie in terms of our complicity in the horrors
that are going on in Libya. We are involved in training the Libyan coast guard, which, in turn, is
deeply implicated in slavery, systematic rape, beatings and torture of vulnerable people who are
trapped. Up to 1 million people are trapped in Libya because the Western powers went in and
destroyed Libya. Now the country has collapsed and these desperate people are looking to come to
Europe for a new life. Thousands of them drown in the Mediterranean Sea with more sent back. I am
absolutely amazed that the Minister of State finds this amusing, by the way. It is an horrific situation.
If there are threats out there, it is because of what Western powers, including European powers, have
done in places such as Libya and the inhuman response of the European Union. Instead, we are
developing systems essentially to make it easier to repel these people and co-operate with some of
the forces guilty of this horror. Of course, it dates back to beyond that. There is the horrific EU-
Turkey deal, again about repelling desperate Syrian migrants coming from the disaster in Syria,
turning a blind eye to the horrific human rights of the Turkish regime against its own people, against
journalists, locking up politicians and so on. We are quite happy to do deals with Turkey.
We are willing to engage in trade with horrific regimes such as Saudi Arabia, which is beyond words
in its horror with the denial of human rights at the most basic level. After the former Taoiseach,
Deputy Enda Kenny, went to the United Arab Emirates and was asked if he raised human rights
issues, he said it was not really appropriate to raise human rights on trade missions. It is that kind of
amorality of being willing to work with these regimes. We are doing big trade deals with the
Egyptian regime. We were complicit in the US military assault on Iraq which destroyed Iraq and in
turn had a knock-on effect in Syria. There would be no ISIS threat were it not for all these things.
We then justify beefing up the European military industrial complex as a response to that to protect
ourselves when we have actually created that mess or been complicit in creating the mess that
generated those threats in the first place. On these particular initiatives, the European arms industry
has boosted its lobbying budget over the past five years from 2.6 million to 5.8 million. The 36
different meetings between the arms industry and the European Commission between 2013 and 2016
form the backdrop to this. This is the totally immoral arms industry trying to cash in on this stuff that
European and other Western powers have helped generate through their direct involvement in
horrors in the Middle East, Libya and Turkey or through complicity with the US war machine at
Shannon here. Those are the issues we should be addressing.
Of course, we should also care about our soldiers who are standing outside the gates of Leinster
House. Some of them are on family income supplement because we do not even pay them decent
wages. We want to line the pockets of the European military industrial complex. We should have
nothing to do with the international arms industry and the warmongering agenda that lies behind it.
Mick Wallace
Deputy Mick Wallace

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We will not be supporting the motion. We do not agree with the strengthening of the links between
the arms industry and national governments in Europe and we certainly do not think Ireland should
have anything to do with any of them. In putting money onto any of these things, we have no idea
where it will end up and what it will be used for. Obviously the whole focus of fortress Europe now
is on preventing refugees getting into Europe rather than preventing others from bombing their
homes, making refugees of them in the first place.
I am really disappointed that Fianna Fil and Labour are prepared to support the motion. Perhaps I
should not be shocked; maybe I am too nave for this place.
The head of the European Defence Agency, Jorge Domecq, said: "What is missing or really killing
our defence effort is [that] we do it in an isolated and fragmented manner." If Ireland is going to sign
up and be part of some sort of European army, whatever form it takes, God help us all. At the
moment European countries are spending 200 billion on arms. This is all madness. This is driven
primarily by the US where, if there was a decrease in worldwide war efforts today, huge numbers of
jobs would be lost in America. Promoting the arms industry in America today is one of the prime
reasons that we have such wars and destruction going on worldwide. More than 60 million people
are displaced because of war. It is just nuts; it does not solve anything. People do not make bombs,
fighter planes and guns to make peace; they do it to make war.
We are involved in it. The fact that we still facilitate the war effort by allowing Shannon to be used
is crazy. We should not be signing up to this and I do not believe the Irish people would agree to our
signing up to this. There is currently a huge effort to increase the whole security arrangement in
Europe. It feeds the arms industry. We keep dropping bombs on people in order to create people
who cause problems like ISIS. It is just nonsense.
Clare Daly
Deputy Clare Daly

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Obviously, we understand that the SatCom project, which we are being asked to sign up to in this
motion, has a variety of uses. It will involve a pay per use of the system for defence forces in the
field. However, as part of that debate it would be wrong not to look at the EU satellite technology
and to highlight the use of satellites and satellite data transmission as part of Europe's increasingly
high-tech and militaristic defence of its borders against migrants. However, this is not benign
technology. There is something deeply disturbing about the EU using its enormous power to train
satellite surveillance on refugees from war-torn and impoverished states trying to cross its borders. It
is chilling. It is not cheap either. The European Commission agreed in 2015 to provide 47 million
to Frontex for satellite services dedicated to border surveillance. In total, more than 6 billion from
the EU budget and a similar amount from national budgets is to be spent up to 2020 on border
surveillance technology, including satellite surveillance. Data from all these technologies are fed into
Frontex's situation room and the idea is that they would form real-time surveillance of Europe's
borders to protect it against a non-existent threat from desperate people trying to get to Europe's
shores. All of this is being done at the behest of the arms companies which provided this technology
in the first place, the same arms companies which benefited and profited from the disruption and war
in those countries which led to the people becoming refugees in the first place. While the close
relationship between the arms industry and EU's governance structure is not new, we know, for
example, that the defence industry was heavily involved with the European convention tasked with
establishing the EU constitution and so on. All of this is set to get worse. The Government would be
better off spending that money giving our soldiers decent pay and conditions, rather than wasting it
on this offensive measure.
Mattie McGrath
Deputy Mattie McGrath

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I too am very concerned about this, having listened to the Minister of State's contribution and read
his speech. It is proposed that we join up to these two projects just on a whim, as it were. This
motion was slipped into the business today nicely when people are very busy with everything else.
What would have happened if an election had been called? Would the Government have put down
this motion for Tuesday night before we did anything else?
The motion relates to the joint procurement arrangement for EU SatCom Market and European
Centre for Manual Neutralisation Capabilities, ECMAN, pursuant to section 2 of the Defence (
Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009. I am certainly not in favour of it. We have gone too far down
the road of involvement with our European colleagues, who have not been much good to us in many
other areas. If we were being attacked, I wonder would they come to our defence. They did not come
much to our defence when we needed them in the banking crisis. Where were they? They could not
be seen or found. They screwed us in the so-called bailout. They charged us 6% interest for it, while
the IMF was charging us 3% interest for its funds. That shows us where our friends were.
However, this is too serious a matter. It would befit the Minister of State better if he were to go out
today and meet the soldiers and their wives who are outside the gates of this House - I hope he met
them - and take note of the ridiculous and shameful way our soldiers are being treated. They are
being paid less then the minimum wage and expected to work 24-hour shifts, with 20 of a stipend
to cover a 24-hour shift, but it would cost more than that to get a taxi to or from work. These are
proud men with 40 years service. Their families, including fathers, sons, daughters, uncles and
cousins, are involved in highlighting this issue. They have served in many countries with the United
Nations, but not in this slimy slidderly way in which we are getting involved in these projects and
putting them in danger in the name of so-called protecting our borders.
We have not had one proper debate in this House on the Syrian crisis, on the Iraq crisis or all the
other crises. I tried several times to have such a debate. Deputies Noel Grealish, Kevin O'Keeffe and
myself were allowed raised a Topical Issue on it, thanks to the Ceann Comhairle, on Holy Thursday
evening, a very appropriate evening. No Government time was provided for it. We had no hope of
securing a debate on the persecution of the Christians in the Middle East and minority Muslim sects.
I was talking earlier to Deputies Wallace and Daly about their visit to Syria and perhaps we should
all go and see what is going on there. I went to Lebanon. We can see what is happening.
We are respected all over the world for our neutrality but now we are being sucked into this vast
industry. Some 200 million being spent on planes and all war missiles and 6 billion on protecting
our borders. I do not know what will happen to our own Border between the North and the South. I
got some hope today from a senior civil servant at the European committee when he said that things
were looking more positive. We should mind our own business and let the people over there mind
theirs. We should not be hanging on and giving them the stamp of approval that we would pony-up
and send our soldiers out there. We should equip the ones at home and give them enough money to
feed themselves so that they would not have to be living on family income supplement. They should
be shown respect, instead of putting them into areas, and not knowing where they are going or what
they are doing, or what we as a people are being sucked into without the people being consulted.
This started off with the Lisbon treaty, followed by the Nice treaty, in respect of which the then
Government went back to the people a second time to get it through. The Minister of State was not
part of that Government, but others were.
I certainly am not going to take a lecture from Deputy Lisa Chambers with respect to her saying that
she is disgusted with us not supporting this motion. She should support the soldiers at home as well.
That would be more important than what she was criticising.
Deputy Lisa Chambers

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I did not look at the Deputy. I do not know what he is talking about.
Deputy Mattie McGrath

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Gabh mo leithscal. I did not interrupt the Deputy. It has happened before with respect to soldiers
when the Deputy opened her mouth where she should not have, and she knows where that got her.
Deputy Lisa Chambers

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On a point of order-----
Deputy Mattie McGrath

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I am in possession.
Deputy Lisa Chambers
Share
-----I would like the Deputy to explain to the House exactly what he is talking about.
Deputy Mattie McGrath

Share
The Deputy knows well what I am talking about.
Deputy Lisa Chambers

Share
Allegations have been made against me. I would like them to be clearly set before the House so I can
answer them. I never directed any comment at the Deputy. His comments need to be clarified and if
he cannot clarify, he must withdraw them. It is shameful.
Deputy Mattie McGrath

Share
Can I continue?
An Ceann Comhairle

Share
The Deputy should not cast aspersions on a colleague.
Deputy Mattie McGrath

Share
I am not casting any aspersions. I am just saying that things were said before about soldiers.
An Ceann Comhairle

Share
Please, do not-----
Deputy Mattie McGrath

Share
I do not need any lecture from Deputy Chambers.
An Ceann Comhairle

Share
Please, Deputy McGrath.
Mattie McGrath
Deputy Mattie McGrath

Share
I just said that the Deputy was casting aspersions on other Members who were not supporting this
motion, and if she did not mention us, I am also a member of the Rural Independent Group. We are
not supporting and will not be supporting this motion and neither will we be taking any lectures. I
added a caveat that the Deputy got into trouble before for saying things about soldiers, when it was
not exactly 100%.
We should all go out and meet the unfortunate people outside the gates of this House, proud people
who are living on a whim, as it were. They are flocking away from the Army. The Government will
have all these SatComs and God knows what and it will have no soldiers on the ground to do
anything in Ireland. They have helped out when we have had flooding and in times of emergencies.
The Government should support and respect them, rather than getting involved in business that is
none of our business. It should keep out of it.
Eamon Ryan
Deputy Eamon Ryan

Share
I met the partners of people in the Defence Forces outside the gates of this House today and yet
again I am hearing the same story, that our defence forces are at point of real crisis under the
Minister of State's watch. That extends from officer level down to private level. We are all rightly
proud of our Defence Forces, the work that 790 or so of them are doing in overseas missions and the
work they have done in past. The way they have represented this country has been a huge service
and brought great credit to this country, but they are being let down currently by the Government in
how they are being managed. The response to that should not be what we are seeing here and what
we have seen with the recent Government decision, as I understand it, to join PESCO, which is for
us to go all in in terms of development as a key member of a new armaments-arranged combined
European army development. We bring real strength to Europe with our tradition of neutrality and
peace keeping and our tradition of scepticism and outright opposition to some of the military
adventurism that we have seen from European neighbours in recent years and down through the
years. We will not be able to support this proposal.
If the Minister of State is responding at the end of the debate, perhaps he will be able to answer
another question I would like to ask. Why are we debating this matter in advance of a debate on the
Government's decision that Ireland should join PESCO? Surely the Government's decision to go in
this direction is strategically broader and of more historical significance than the decision to
participate in EDA projects. By contrast, the Danish Government is maintaining its position that a
country can be a full member of the EU without necessarily having to buy into this very real level of
security co-operation and support for defence armaments industries. The EU is very upfront and
clear about what it is seeking to do. An additional 500 million will have to be provided for
armaments supports in 2019 and 2020 and 1.5 billion will have to be provided each year from
2021. I presume there will be an ongoing ramping up from there on. It was a mistake not to debate
the Government's strategic decision on PESCO in advance of debating these operational
investments. Why is the decision not on the agenda for next week? Surely we have to do it before 11
December, when, I understand, PESCO will be signed off at the European Council. Why are we not
debating that? A date has not even been set for it to be debated next week. We have to debate it in
advance of 11 December. When we have that debate, and the same point is raised here, the Green
Party will stand for Ireland taking a strategic decision to maintain a proud and strong EU that is
proud of its tradition of bringing peace to Europe in a way that did not exist for generations prior to
its establishment. We cannot develop a Europe which is at peace with itself, but at war near its
borders with neighbouring countries in a way that undermines the whole peace project aspect of the
EU, which I like.
Deputies have mentioned member states' recent activities in Libya, which have devastated the
region, as an example of what results from investment in armaments technology. I once heard
someone referring to the kinetic power of munitions and military force. We bring the power of
intelligence to peacekeeping and how it works. One can have all the satellites in the world. I
understand that when Irish soldiers went to Liberia, where they did an incredible job as part of an
incredible mission, they shared a computer with the people of a nearby village. That, more than
anything else, helped to swing the local population over to them, thereby enabling them to carry out
their peace mission. I was proud to be in government when we supported the difficult mission in
Chad. It was difficult to get equipment and helicopters to Chad. As I understand it, the best thing we
did there revolved around our decision not to build a big fortification. We did not drive our trucks
through local villages in the middle of the wet season, thereby destroying the roads used by local
farmers. That marks the intelligence of the personnel we are proud to have serving in our armed
forces.
We bring these skills and strengths to Europe. I do not think it is necessary to buy into the big new
satellite technology that allows others to look down from space and press a button from a military
drone to kill people who do not know what is coming until they have been zapped. Lord knows what
their surviving relations will do against the EU for ever and a day. That is not the way Europe needs
to go. I want to support our Army. I would fund our Army. It needs funding. We should invest not in
armaments but in human intelligence. We should start by investing in the soldiers who are
increasingly unhappy with the way the Minister of State is running the Department of Defence.
Question put:
The Dil divided: T, 88; Nl, 15; Staon, 21.
T
Aylward, Bobby.
Bailey, Maria.
Barrett, Sen.
Brassil, John.
Breathnach, Declan.
Brophy, Colm.
Browne, James.
Bruton, Richard.
Burke, Peter.
Burton, Joan.
Butler, Mary.
Byrne, Catherine.
Byrne, Thomas.
Cahill, Jackie.
Calleary, Dara.
Canney, Sen.
Cannon, Ciarn.
Carey, Joe.
Casey, Pat.
Cassells, Shane.
Chambers, Jack.
Chambers, Lisa.
Corcoran Kennedy, Marcella.
Cowen, Barry.
Creed, Michael.
Curran, John.
D'Arcy, Michael.
Daly, Jim.
Deering, Pat.
Doherty, Regina.
Donnelly, Stephen S.
Doyle, Andrew.
Durkan, Bernard J.
English, Damien.
Farrell, Alan.
Fitzpatrick, Peter.
Flanagan, Charles.
Grealish, Noel.
Griffin, Brendan.
Harris, Simon.
Harty, Michael.
Haughey, Sen.
Heydon, Martin.
Howlin, Brendan.
Kehoe, Paul.
Kelleher, Billy.
Kyne, Sen.
Lahart, John.
Lawless, James.
Lowry, Michael.
MacSharry, Marc.
McConalogue, Charlie.
McGrath, Finian.
McGrath, Michael.
McGuinness, John.
McHugh, Joe.
McLoughlin, Tony.
Martin, Michel.
Mitchell O'Connor, Mary.
Moran, Kevin Boxer.
Moynihan, Aindrias.
Moynihan, Michael.
Murphy O'Mahony, Margaret.
Murphy, Eugene.
Naughten, Denis.
Naughton, Hildegarde.
Neville, Tom.
Noonan, Michael.
O'Callaghan, Jim.
O'Connell, Kate.
O'Dea, Willie.
O'Donovan, Patrick.
O'Dowd, Fergus.
O'Keeffe, Kevin.
O'Loughlin, Fiona.
O'Rourke, Frank.
O'Sullivan, Jan.
Penrose, Willie.
Phelan, John Paul.
Ring, Michael.
Rock, Noel.
Ross, Shane.
Ryan, Brendan.
Sherlock, Sean.
Smith, Brendan.
Stanton, David.
Troy, Robert.
Zappone, Katherine.
Nl
Boyd Barrett, Richard.
Broughan, Thomas P.
Collins, Joan.
Collins, Michael.
Connolly, Catherine.
Coppinger, Ruth.
Daly, Clare.
Healy, Seamus.
Kenny, Gino.
McGrath, Mattie.
Martin, Catherine.
Murphy, Catherine.
Ryan, Eamon.
Smith, Brd.
Wallace, Mick.
Staon
Brady, John.
Buckley, Pat.
Crowe, Sen.
Cullinane, David.
Doherty, Pearse.
Ellis, Dessie.
Funchion, Kathleen.
Kenny, Martin.
McDonald, Mary Lou.
Mitchell, Denise.
Munster, Imelda.
Nolan, Carol.
Broin, Eoin.
Caolin, Caoimhghn.
Laoghaire, Donnchadh.
Snodaigh, Aengus.
O'Brien, Jonathan.
O'Reilly, Louise.
Quinlivan, Maurice.
Stanley, Brian.
Tibn, Peadar.
Tellers: T, Deputies Joe McHugh and Tony McLoughlin; Nl, Deputies Richard Boyd Barrett and
Mick Wallace.
Question declared carried.
https://beta.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/dail/2017-11-30/24/

Both Kasoulides and defence minister Christoforos Fokaides were abroad and could
not be reached for comment when this report was being written.

But a defence ministry spokesman told the Sunday Mail that the proposal to join
Pesco, submitted to the cabinet on November 8, was drafted jointly by the defence
and the foreign ministries.

Foreign policy being the purview of the administration, its understood that zero
discussion of Pesco took place in parliament or elsewhere. That said, neither did MPs
seem overly interested in the subject.

Most of the local commentary has focused on the financial cost of joining Pesco, as
Cyprus will be required to increase defence expenditures.

But others are highlighting a far greater issue the possible undermining of the
nations sovereignty.

The joint notification itself contains some alarming elements, says Stavri
Kalopsidiotou, a member of Akels central committee.
From a close reading of the text, Kalopsidiotou an expert in international law
finds that at the very least we are ceding sovereign rights, if not our sovereignty
outright.

Contrary to public perception, Pesco the vehicle for completing the EUs Common
Security and Defence Policy (Csdp) will not create an EU army per se.

EU military unification is not about replacing, but subsuming the militaries of

participating states.

Interoperability being the keyword.

This is stated quite clearly in the notification.

But Pesco goes well beyond that. It aims down the line to establish a joint defence
budget and an EU-wide procurement system:

Pesco could facilitate the development of Member States defence capabilities

through an intensive involvement in multinational procurement projects and with
appropriate industrial entities including small and medium-sized enterprises

In short, the stated objective is to federalise defence procurements across the EU.

The signatories also commit to submitting national implementation plans detailing

their contributions to Pesco and which projects they are financing.

Crucially, the implementation plans are subject to the review of the High
Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, a position
currently held by Federica Mogherini.

What this means in effect, is that participating states are devolving fiscal powers to
the EUs foreign minister. Its akin to the Eurogroup or the European Central Bank,
Kalopsidiotou points out.

Thus, the sovereignty of member states begins and ends at the moment they accede
to Pesco. Sure, they joined of their own free will, but after that, there are all kinds of
strings attached.

Down to brass tacks: will Cyprus be required to allocate Cypriots troops and military
materiel to Pesco missions even though such operations might clash with the national
interest?
On this the notification reads: With regard to availability and deployability of the
forces, the participating Member States are committed to: Making available
formations, that are strategically deployable, for the realization of the EU LoA [Level
of Ambition], in addition to a potential deployment of an EUBG [EU Battlegroup].
This commitment does neither cover a readiness force, a standing force nor a standby
force.

The text is fuzzy perhaps deliberately so on how decisions for military and/or
humanitarian missions are to be made. Presumably, this issue among others will be
fleshed out a bit more at the upcoming Foreign Affairs Council.

It states: The High Representative recommendation will provide inputs for the
Council to decide on the list of Pesco projects within the Pesco framework following
a military advice by the EUMC [European Union Military Committee] in Pesco
format and through PSC [Political and Security Committee] in Pesco format. The
Council shall decide by unanimity, as constituted by the votes of the representatives
of the participating Member States.

Again, this smacks of a highly centralised process.

What operations would Pesco carry out? Will this structure be separate to Nato or
work in tandem with it?

Here, the text does provide clues: Enhanced defence capabilities of EU Member
States will also benefit Nato. They will strengthen the European pillar within the
Alliance and respond to repeated demands for stronger transatlantic burden sharing.

And: A long-term vision of Pesco could be to arrive at a coherent full spectrum force
package in complementarity with Nato, which will continue to be the cornerstone of
collective defence for its members.

Furthermore: Commitment to agree on common technical and operational standards

of forces acknowledging that they need to ensure interoperability with Nato.

For UK-based defence analyst David Ellis, EU military unification is a means to an

end.

Follow the money, says Ellis: by concentrating the staggering amount of defence
contract funds into one pot, you set up a master treasury that ultimately leads to a
European super-state.
The EU must have/attain EUMU to get their Treasury in order to close the money
loop and underwrite all euros issued. Its a key policy component that goes hand in
hand with the currency union, he tells the Mail.

The money control flows in EUMU are enough to prop the currency and then they
can/have to set up a single-point budget at Brussels. The EU will control all defence
and defence services in the eurozone, including all industry capital budget,
operational budgets, and command and control.

Ellis, who is Director of Strategic Defence Initiatives, said of the possible impact on
Cyprus:

Very sad day, youre no longer a nation, your guys have just given a good piece of
your country away to a corporation called the EU by subcontracting your military out.

Any decisions or money that Cyprus makes/spends will be affected, any local firms
and companies, contract people who work in this area. The EU will take total control
of it all. You may even get other troops, ships, planes from any eurozone country,
arrive and take up operations and services.

Cyprus joining Pesco might look like dropping out of the blue, but can one trace
threads leading up to this point?

Its likely no coincidence that the cabinet rubberstamped Cyprus accession to Pesco
just two days after President Nicos Anastasiades saw French President Emmanuel
Macron in Paris.

France and Germany are leading the way in pushing defence cooperation across the
EU bloc.

Macron spoke of very close ties between the two nations in the defence sector.

Government spokesman Nicos Christodoulides later stated that Cyprus plans to offer
France facilities at Mari naval base as well as at the Andreas Papandreou air base
in Paphos.

And, he added, this was all within the context of the new security architecture being
discussed in the EU.

Alex Thomson of Eastern Approaches, who appears on UK Column News, suggests a

possible connection between EU military integration and the tripartite axis being
forged in the eastern Mediterranean between Cyprus, Greece and Egypt.
Its informed speculation on my part, but I regard the tripartite business as a Franco-
German attempt to disenchant the Greeks and Cypriots away from viewing Russia as
a strategic partner and/or as salvation against the Turks, says Thomson, a GCHQ
officer from 2001 to 2009.

Both Thomson and Ellis are regulars on UK Column News, an alternative media
outlet which has long warned of EU military unification and the concomitant gutting
of Britains defence industry.

The UK Columns editor Mike Robinson has compiled a detailed timeline of the EU
military project, tracing it back decades.

In 1984 Jacques Delors, then President of the European Commission, told a summit of
European Economic Community heads of government at Fontainebleau that the first
and foremost of his three big ideas for relaunching European political integration was
military union (une dfense commune), the others being currency union and the
abolition of member states vetoes.

In a UK Column article dated November 13, the day the Pesco joint notification was
signed, Robinson wrote:

The question which should be on everyones lips is, what does this mean for the
modern policy of intervention?

If anything, this will make interventions easier. With decisions made at the EU level,
national governments, and more importantly, national electorates, will have no say on
Pesco operations. If the EU, or perhaps Ms Mogherini, decides to go to war, a vote in
a national Parliament cannot prevent it they are legally bound by PESCO to commit
their military resources.

France is the fifth biggest arms manufacturer in the world. Many of

the guns and bombs killing human beings on this planet every single
day originate in France. Macron wants to sell arms, so he pretends to
be Leo's best pal. Varadkar has promised to massively increase
spending on military hardware in line with his plans to get us
involved with the EU army...
France's export of arms was 5.6% of the worlds total exports
between 2011 and 2015. It sold $18 billion worth of defense
equipment in 2015, an increase from $9.1 billion in 2014. The French
government has shares in top companies such as Airbus and Thales
group. These companies have the advantage of diversity in
capabilities. They can manufacture weapons for use in air, sea, and
land. This fact has established France as a manufacturer of highly
specialized equipment. The main destinations for its exports are
Saudi Arabia, UAE, Singapore, and Australia.
Other top countries claiming a market share of the global arms
exports are Germany (4.7%), UK (4.5%), Spain (3.50%) and Italy
(2.7%).
All these countries want Ireland involved in pesco/EU army. Do you
think France ... Germany ... Spain ... Italy care about homelessness in
Ireland?

We dont want it, LOUD AND CLEAR!

People Before Profit TD Richard Boyd Barrett has said his party is
considering a constitutional challenge to the Governments proposal
to join a new EU military structure.
Dil approves Ireland joining
Pesco EU military structure
Constitutional challenge may be taken against
Government plan

Members of the Army carrying out an anti-terrorism training exercise in Dublin

on Wednesday. Photograph: Defence Forces

Marie O'Halloran
about 3 hours ago

People Before Profit TD Richard Boyd Barrett has said his

party is considering a constitutional challenge to the
Governments proposal to join a new EU military
structure.
On Thursday, the Dil voted by 75 to 42 for Ireland to join
the Pesco (Permanent Structure Co-operation) agreement
on greater co-operation with other countries on military
missions around the world.
The Government and Fianna Fil supported the proposal
while Sinn Fin, Labour, Solidarity People Before Profit,
Independents4Change, the Green Party and a number of
Independents oppose the proposal and claimed the
Government tried to ram it through without proper
debate.
Mr Boyd Barrett made his comments during a heated four
hour Dil debate on the plan to join the Pesco. The
Opposition said there was no rush and there should be a
full debate with Army and other experts being called in to
give a detailed analysis.
Opposition TDs called on the Independent Alliance to
make their positions clear before the Government voted
on the move. Independents4Change TD Clare Daly said
Ministers of State Finian McGrath and John Halligan in
particular, should do so when they had in opposition been
vehemently opposed to the militarisation of Europe and an
EU army.
But Tnaiste Simon Coveney who opened the debate
rejected the claims that Ireland would be joining an EU
army by supporting a new European military structure or
that the proposal will breach Irelands neutrality.
Mr Coveney insisted that the States traditional policy of
military neutrality is not going to change.
The Tnaiste claimed some TDs were trying to turn Pesco
into something more than it was. Ireland would opt in or
opt out on a voluntary basis to missions, he said.
These would be in the areas peacekeeping, counter-
terrorism, training and marine surveillance.
Related
Miriam Lord: Leo? The dude is a dove. Even when a
Healy-Rae threatens hellfire
Greater military co-operation under Pesco presents
range of costs
Fine Gael to ask Independents to back closer military
co-operation
But Mr Boyd Barrett described this as cynical rubbish
and said the move is an abandonment of our neutrality
and is unconstitutional and should be challenged.

He said we will have to seriously consider a constitutional

challenge.
He said the process was very cynical he said the
Government knew and had decided on Pesco but did not
tell the business committee, a majority of which opposed
the issue being voted on on Thursday.
EU values
Fianna Fil defence spokeswoman Lisa Chambers said
that in a post-Brexit scenario it is extremely important
that we as a member state show our support for the EU
and its values.
She could not understand how anybody could suggest
that this is somehow joining a European army. But she
said there should be ongoing debate on the role of the
Defence Forces and the Department of Defence should
update the Oireachtas on a quarterly basis about the
engagements the State was involved in and the costs.
The Mayo TD believed increased spending on defence
would force the department to fund and resource the
Defence Forces and that the spending was on research for
areas such as surveillance and not about making weapons.
The Tnaiste had earlier said there was some
misunderstanding over funding. There is absolutely no
commitment to increase defence spending to 2 per cent of
GDP.
He said the 2 per cent solely reflected a collective
commitment of 2 per cent of defence spending to be used
for research.
But Ms Daly said estimates suggested the Government
would be paying 1.3 billion by 2021 and that was
galling at a time when Defence Force personnel were
dependant on social welfare to make ends meet.
Sinn Fin defence spokesman Aengus O Snodaigh said
somebody else would be setting the agenda for us and our
military spending in the future and the State would have
no control.
He said the proposal was in direct violation of Article
29.4.9 of the Constitution. The provision holds that a
Government cannot adopt any EU decision that would
create a European common defence.

European army
Labour TD Brendan Ryan said his party leader Brendan
Howlin had asked for a debate on the issue in June. He
said the EU video on Pesco was like a movie trailer
glorifying military expenditure on weapons.
Mr Ryan said we dont want Ireland clipped onto the tail
of this wagon and dragged irreversibly into a modernised
European army.
Green party leader Eamon Ryan said the proposal went far
beyond increasing cooperation. This is about building a
military and industrial armaments capability that will not
provide security in the long run.
https://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/oireachtas/dil-approves-ireland-
joining-pesco-eu-military-structure-1.3319228?mode=amp

Dil hears claims Ireland

selling out neutrality for EU
support on Brexit
Opposition TDs say no rush to sign deal and time is
needed for debate
Tue, Dec 5, 2017, 19:08
Marie O'Halloran

People Before Profit TD Richard Boyd-Barrett claimed the Government

wanted to ram through a vote. Photograph: Gareth Chaney/Collins
The EU is supporting Ireland on Brexit negotiations in
exchange for the State moving to join a new European
military structure, it has been claimed.
People Before Profit TD Richard Boyd-Barrett claimed
there was a move by the Government to ram through a
vote to move towards joining up with an EU army and to
quadruple military spending.
He alleged that the Government proposal to join Pesco
(Permanent Structured Co-operation Agreement)
would have as significant and damaging an effect on our
economy and our society as Brexit.
The Dn Laoghaire TD made the claims as a row broke
out over how the House dealt with proposals to vote on
the agreement, a structure which would allow the
Defence Forces to co-operate with other armies in
military missions around the world.
Opposition TDs expressed outrage that the issue was not
discussed at a meeting of the Dil business committee
which decides the work agenda, but that a vote was
expected after a two-hour debate on a vitally important
issue.
The Government hopes the arrangement will be voted on
and accepted by the Dil in time for next weeks
European Council leaders meeting.
This is deeply cynical and I really wonder now is the
quid pro quo for European support on the Brexit
negotiations that we sell out our military neutrality and
ramp up military expenditure, Mr Boyd Barrett said.
Green Party leader Eamon Ryan said there was no
requirement to sign up by next week.
Labour leader Brendan Howlin said experts should be
invited to appear before a committee so that people
understand the proposal in full measure, no matter
what their view point.
Independents4Change TD Clare Daly said it was an
incredibly serious issue which does potentially sign up
the Irish State to massive defence expenditure over the
next number of years and she objected in the strongest
possible terms, to such a short debate.
Sinn Fin defence spokesman Aengus Snodaigh said
there had not been any public scrutiny of an issue that
represented a major shift in Irish defence policy and
financial policy. He added that the detail of the Pesco
arrangement had not been circulated to members of the
House.
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar, who is Minister for Defence,
suggested the business committee should reconvene and
agreed adequate time for a debate. Minister of State Paul
Kehoe said he had answered a topical issue question on
the matter last week and that he had outlined what was
involved with Pesco.
https://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/oireachtas/dil-hears-claims-
ireland-selling-out-neutrality-for-eu-support-on-brexit-1.3316846

State likely to join new EU

military co-operation
mechanism
Pesco projects likely to range from peacekeeping
operations to weapons research
Tue, Nov 21, 2017, 19:32
Pat Leahy
European Union foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini, centre, with EU
foreign and defence ministers after signing the notification on Pesco
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The Government has decided to join a new EU military

structure that will allow the Defence Forces to co-
operate with other armies in military missions around
the world.
Ministers agreed at the weekly Cabinet meeting on
Tuesday to ask the Dil to approve Irelands membership
of the EUs new permanent structured co-operation
(Pesco) mechanism.
A vote will take place in the coming weeks.
Independent Ministers had raised concerns about the
implications for Irelands neutrality, but a spokeswoman
said they were now happy with the briefings they had
received from the Department of Defence.
Pesco projects are likely to range from peacekeeping
operations under the EU flag to co-operation in weapons
research. All projects will be voluntary, meaning
countries can opt in or out according to their own
wishes.
However, joining Pesco also requires states to increase
their military spending. Last week, Taoiseach Leo
Varadkar said this was a good idea because the Defence
Forces would need to replace equipment and increase
pay.
Pooling military procurement, one of the objectives of
the agreement, would reduce the costs of new
equipment, the Government believes.
https://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/state-likely-to-join-new-eu-
military-co-operation-mechanism-1.3300240

Brexit Britain can chart a new global

destiny by spending more on defence
Aug 29, 2017
SUBSCRIBE
Brexit: 'Not good enough!' EU boss Juncker TEARS into Britain over 'unsatisfactory' Brexit stance
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ggnH8DKUIZc
 Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs
and Trade, and Defence
Implications of Brexit for Foreign Policy: Dr. Karen Devine, DCU

https://www.kildarestreet.com/committees/?id=2017-03-09a.825
A United States of Europe....
Well since we now have a EU army, in all but name, why not go the whole hog and go for a
Federal Europe too?
Martin Schulz has today called for a United States of Europe. Do you support his idea for more federalism?

Irish support for international

arms trade raises questions
over neutrality
Ireland's role in the industry, through manufacturing and
investment, continues to ensure its success
NEWS

December 7, 17
Last year the Irish government issued almost 800
licences to exporters producing component parts for use
in military goods abroad, and it is a growing industry. It
prompts questions about the true nature of our neutrality.
Earlier this month, London hosted the largest arms fair in the
world as four million Syrian refugees scrambled to safety
across the world, having fled conflict in their own country.
A Green politician in the UK pleaded with her colleagues in
the House of Commons to see the link between the industry
they support and the terrible tragedy unfolding across Europe
and the Middle East.
Many Irish social media users saw the posts that circulated
after Caroline Lucas's impassioned plea, but how many
realised that Ireland too plays a part in the international arms
trade?
Newstalk.com took a look at the industry, which we support
through manufacturing and investment.
In the first of two articles, we look at the part Irish
manufacturers play in the arms trade.
We make parts
The Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation licenses
the export of products in the arms area.
Officials at the Department say Irish export items classified as
military goods are usually component parts rather than
finished military equipment.
They say our involvement in the industry on that level is a
consequence of Ireland's development as a technology and
engineering hub.
But the government, while actively seeking to increase the
value of our exports, has admitted it is concerned about its
responsibility to ensure that component parts for military use
do not end up in the wrong hands after they leave the country.
Minister Richard Bruton has said: "Export control is an
aspect of our work in which the aim of export growth needs to
be balanced by national and international priorities in essential
areas such as non-proliferation of weapons of
mass destruction, human rights and regional conflict."
Licensing and regulation
Exporters here must apply to Irish authorities for a licence to
export controlled goods and technologies that appear on the
EU's Common Military List.
That list is constantly being updated, and it is thanks to one of
the most recent changes that many prisons in the US are
finding it almost impossible to source the drugs they need to
execute prisoners by lethal injection.
European regulators have made moves to cut off that supply,
leaving federal authorities in the US scrambling for supplies of
barbiturates, in particular.
The controlled list includes both military goods and dual-use
goods, or products that could have either military or civilian
applications.
Since 2008, the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and
Innovation has been producing annual reports on its control of
exports.
Those reports show the number of licences given out by the
Irish government has fluctuated in recent years from a low of
455 in 2011 to a high of 879 in 2010.
Last year, 797 licences were granted, down from 875 in 2013.
Latest figures for 2014 show a 57% increase on the number of
licences given out in 2008 (508 in total), the first year for
which figures are available.
The value of the licences issued in the last six months of 2014
alone came to 749 million, according to the Department of
Enterprise.
However, the Department has moved to explain that the value
they attribute to the licences may not be reflected in the actual
value of the subsequent exports, because firms have to
speculate on their future trade in their applications.
They also point out that a significant number of military
licences are issued to individuals holding sports firearms and
to companies engaged in mining activity.

Military tank including Irish component parts. Photo:

Timoneygroup.com
Manufacturing
Timoney Technology, based in Navan, is one of the Irish
companies involved in manufacturing parts that go into military
machinery.
The company's website says it is a world leading expert in
Mobility Systems for heavy vehicles and specialist vehicle
applications.
The engineering firm says they have 40 years' experience in
the defence and commercial vehicle sectors.
The Department of Enterprise does refuse licence
applications, usually on the grounds of considerations about
the intended end-use and the risk of diversion.
They have previously stated that they are concerned about
making sure products manufactured here can be guaranteed
to end up with the intended recipient, and not fall into use on
the black market where they could be traded to people
implicated in humanitarian disasters.
http://www.newstalk.com/Up-in-arms--the-part-we-play-in-the-international-
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