Government denies new EU arms fund is a threat to Irish neutrality

MEP Mick Wallace said the scope of the new facility has widened EU military programmes to include the purchase and provision of lethal weapons to third countries.

The Irish government has defended its involvement in the newly established European Peace Facility, as two MEPs have claimed it is “completely incompatible” with Irish neutrality.

The EPF is a new financial pot of €5 billion for the next six years, which was launched in March. It covers all external actions that have military or defence implications for the EU and allows the EU to arm non-European military forces with lethal weapons for the first ...