159. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence further to Parliamentary Question No. 117 of 5 February 2025, if the minutes of all meetings with an organisation (details supplied) will now be provided; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18047/25]

Sentiment score: -0.04

My question is very specific and relates to a specific organisation. It is about a specific series of meetings the Department of Defence has had with the Irish Defence and Security Association. This is my third time asking for the minutes of these meetings. On the last occasion, whoever was in the Tánaiste's place told us it was his intention to publish these minutes. I have two notes here. To say they are opaque would be extremely generous. Will the Tánaiste answer my question?

Sentiment score: 0.15

I did not see those minutes. Perhaps we did not look properly. I do not know. I welcome that they are there. I will take back the word "minutes" because these are not minutes. What I have are two notes. To describe them as "minutes" is utterly wrong. In the notes of one meeting that was held in Newbridge, we see that a person took the notes in October 2024. We have no idea of the agenda or of the outcome other than that "It was agreed that ... and some of his team" and so on. It is vague and opaque and we have no idea of the purpose of the meeting. We also have a note dating from 12 December. Again, there is no agenda laid out. This one only tells us where the meeting was held when we go down into the text. They are very opaque as notes of meetings. It is like somebody wrote them up because the question was asked. Let us look at this organisation. It was set up in 2021. Ben Tonra is a member. He is on record declaring that he had been volunteering to set up this organisation for some time. This is a man who has serious views on neutrality being selfish. He is part of this organisation that lobbies for the international arms industry. That is how I see it. The Tánaiste can correct me if I am wrong. I am over time.

Sentiment score: -0.06

The arms industry is supplying arms for genocide to be carried out in Palestine. The Tánaiste knows that. He has spoken about it. This group represents the arms industry, it lobbies for the arms industry and it has an open door to the Department. I know of a series of meetings. Is the Tánaiste confirming that the minutes, or whatever we are going to call them, of all 11 meetings that have been held are available? He should be able to confirm that. He should be able to tell me the nature of those meetings, where they were held, how long they lasted, who attended and so on. None of that is apparent. It is completely opaque. If the Tánaiste wants transparency, the least he can do is to give us an accurate record of the meetings and to tell us their purpose, who called them, their outcomes and so on. This is the arms industry. It has no moral conscience and exists for profit. Its weapons are being used to murder people and to commit genocide. As a neutral sovereign State, if our Department of Defence is meeting a lobbying group, at the very least it should be open, transparent and accountable about it. When the people who are involved are on TV shows or the radio, they should make declarations as to their background and interests.

Sentiment score: -0.02

Does that include the arms industry?

Sentiment score: 0.00

It is not everything.

Sentiment score: 0.00