THE IRISHMAN who served as operational commander for the EU mission to Chad yesterday addressed concerns over Irish involvement in EU military deployments, and what he described as “misconceptions” related to the European Defence Agency (EDA).
Lieut-Gen Pat Nash, who recently retired after leading the year-long mission known as EUfor, said his experience commanding more than 3,700 troops from 26 countries (of which 23 were EU member states) showed him the extent of the “goodwill and flexibility within the family of Europe”.
More than 400 Irish troops participated in the EUfor deployment, making the Irish contingent the second largest after France.
Lieut-Gen Nash said fears related to Irish participation in EU military missions, which had contributed to the rejection of the Lisbon Treaty in last year’s referendum, were not rooted in reality.
“The whole idea of Europe as this great bully boy who is out there, with poor Ireland the urchin . . . being dragged along – of course it is not like that,” he said. “It is exceptionally democratic.”
The EU’s stringent oversight procedures, Lieut-Gen Nash joked, can, from an operational commander’s point of view, “even be a bit of a pain in the butt”.
In an address at the Institute of International and European Affairs in Dublin, Lieut-Gen Nash said the EDA, which co-ordinates European weapons procurement and production, would be beneficial to Ireland’s defence forces.
The Defence Bill 2009, which sets out the legal framework under which the Government and Dáil must give prior approval for any Irish involvement in EDA projects, was published this week. It will be introduced into the Dáil as soon as possible after October 2nd, subject to a Yes vote in the Lisbon Treaty referendum.