PROPOSED LEGISLATION to restrict Irish participation in the European Defence Agency (EDA) is due to be published in the next fortnight, following Government approval of a draft Bill at yesterday’s Cabinet meeting.
Minister for Defence Willie O’Dea submitted a memorandum to Cabinet with the support of Minister for Foreign Affairs Micheál Martin and Green Party leader and Minister for the Environment, John Gormley.
Senior political sources said the Bill “fleshes out” the commitment given by the Government at the European summit in Brussels on June 19th that Irish participation would be subject to Dáil approval “in accordance with Irish law”.
The forthcoming Bill is intended to become the law referred to in the June 19th declaration.
All EU member states except Denmark are members of the EDA, which was set up in 2004 to assist in the effort “to improve European defence capabilities in the field of crisis management”.
The Green Party has traditionally opposed EDA membership but, after protracted negotiations, the Coalition partners arrived at a compromise solution whereby Ireland would remain a member but under specific conditions.
The Bill imposes similar restrictions on Irish participation in “Permanent Structured Co-operation (PSC)”, a provision in the Lisbon Treaty which permits security and defence co-operation between a group of member states and may have a military dimension.
It is likely that the Bill will be published ahead of the forthcoming Green Party conference in Dublin on July 18th, which is due to discuss the second Lisbon referendum and the review of the programme for government.
Publication of the Bill would, according to political sources, “help underscore the Government’s intentions” as reflected in the June 19th declaration.
The existence of a Bill requiring Dáil approval for participation would also “serve to demonstrate clearly for anyone with doubts” that participation “is a matter for Ireland to determine”.
The scheme of the Bill also requires that the Government be satisfied that participation in the EDA or PSC “will contribute to enhancing capabilities for UN- mandated missions for peacekeeping, conflict prevention and strengthening international security in accordance with the UN charter”.
