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How does the European Defence Proposals affect Ireland?

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  • 14-11-2016 5:33pm
    #1
    AnGaelach
    Registered Users Posts: 1,533 ✭✭✭


    http://www.reuters.com/article/us-eu-defence-idUSKBN1391HH?il=0
    Through a new annual review process, governments also aim to put pressure on those EU members who do not spend enough on defense. The European Commission, the EU executive, is also set to put aside money for the first time for European defense research.

    Do you actually think this will have any effect upon Ireland's military or will we manage to slink our way out of it?


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    #2
    BoJack Horseman
    Registered Users Posts: 12,248 ✭✭✭✭BoJack Horseman


    AnGaelach wrote: »
    Do you actually think this will have any effect upon Ireland's military or will we manage to slink our way out of it?

    Ireland has opt outs wrt to all of that.

    It can contribute to EU missions or military institutions, but unlike the other 26 members isn't treaty bound to do so.

    (Also, the defence commissioner is lying, the pan-EU army will indeed be implemented as it has been promised by the commission for years..... at the leaders summit in Bratislava in September the EC told leaders that further details wrt this plan will be issued for consideration at the leaders summit in December).


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    #3
    Manach
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 9,680 Mod ✭✭✭✭Manach


    On how Trump will handle defence will likely be seen from his picks for Defence secretary and not the rather discredited media narrative. However given the unsettled international outlook and the rise of 4GW, the U.K. Defence minister is right in pointing the way to increase somewhat the budget to counter threats.


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    #4
    Larbre34
    Registered Users Posts: 23,877 ✭✭✭✭Larbre34


    If our EU partners wish to offer some defence cohesion sweeteners to make sure we are more vigilant over our corner of the world, such as to enhance our equipment or capability, im sure we wouldnt refuse. We can probably fudge some enhanced co-operation with the other neutral members to slide by.


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    #5
    sparky42
    Registered Users Posts: 3,891 ✭✭✭sparky42


    Larbre34 wrote: »
    If our EU partners wish to offer some defence cohesion sweeteners to make sure we are more vigilant over our corner of the world, such as to enhance our equipment or capability, im sure we wouldnt refuse. We can probably fudge some enhanced co-operation with the other neutral members to slide by.

    I think one issue with them covering us is that unlike say the 70's when they funded the P20's, we aren't a poor nation (either relative to outside the EU or to within the new members (and some old members), so I'd imagine the view might be we can pay to have a lot more than .5& of GDP spent on defence.

    That being said it's a shame we haven't already used areas like the Nordic Battlegroup to expand capabilities before now (for example when the 139's were bought)


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