I welcome the Minister of State home. I also welcome the fact that, at the meeting of EU defence ministers, there was continued support and solidarity among all nations with the people of Ukraine, given the circumstances they currently endure. Was there any specific discussion at the meeting about a post-war scenario in Ukraine and the potential for a peace agreement between the countries? I note that, recently, Volodymyr Zelenskyy visited Downing Street where he met with President Macron and the German President. Those nations again reiterated their support for Ukraine. At any point during the meeting did the talks come to the point where there may be a peace agreement, what that might look like, and what a post-war scenario might look like in Ukraine?

Sentiment score: 0.56

I compliment the Government on its continued support, in particular for that loan measure. The Minister of State mentioned the ending of the UNIFIL mission at the end of this year. Are there other European countries like us that are concerned they will not have the opportunity to provide peacekeeping missions in other parts of the world? Unfortunately, if troops from European countries are not keeping peace, more lives will be lost, more conflict will reign and there will be less stability and more volatility in the world. Are there other countries like us that have a similar measure whereby the participation of their forces in peacekeeping missions must be sanctioned by the UN Security Council? Are they thinking of how they might be able to operate in the future when it is clear that the Security Council will not provide an opportunity for peacekeeping missions?

Sentiment score: 0.30

129. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Defence the plans in place for an expanded Naval Reserve presence in Galway as supported by the report of the Commission on the Defence Forces; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42813/26]

Sentiment score: 0.16

Will the Minister outline the plans in place for an expanded unit of the Naval Reserve and an infrastructural presence in the form of a Naval Reserve base in Galway, as supported both by the report of the Commission on the Defence Forces and by the maritime security strategy, and will she make a statement on that matter?

Sentiment score: 0.64

I commend the frankness of the report by the Commission on the Defence Forces. It noted the serious area and scale of responsibility that we have in "our Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), the scale of fishing activity in our waters, the number of aircraft crossing Irish controlled airspace, our growing seabased energy infrastructure, and the number of subsea communications cables and sea lines passing close to our coastline". There was a full and frank recognition: ...that a more comprehensive patrol programme [is required for that area and that this could] be facilitated by the establishment of a naval support base or bases, making use of existing port facilities at locations in the west ... which would allow for faster deployment and would facilitate replenishment of fuel, fresh food and water, and the removal of waste. The location of a support base on the west ... coast ... combined with double crewing of vessels, would facilitate ships remaining at sea for longer periods as they would no longer have to return to Haulbowline for replenishment and crew changeover.

Sentiment score: 0.46

One of the things I have often found puzzling is that the very proud and historical tradition of maritime and naval participation that a location like Galway has among its citizens seems to have petered out in recent times. The operation of a naval support base or naval infrastructure along the west coast in Galway would encourage more local people, potentially, to join the Naval Service or the Naval Reserve. That is noted by the Commission on the Defence Forces as well. To bring it on then to our national maritime strategy, one of the initial action points for the first strategy is to "Explore concept of a forward operating base on the West Coast base for the Naval Service". Everything in these studies is pointing towards the need for the west coast to be serviced by a naval base. Galway would make great sense - eminent sense, in fact - for that because it would be complemented, obviously, by the Army base at Renmore and it also has the natural infrastructure to facilitate such a development. I ask, therefore, that we start to develop the maritime strategy and that point in particular.

Sentiment score: 0.38