Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank Deputy Berry for raising this issue and security issues in general. He has been a very strong advocate for funding for security and the Defence Forces in particular. I recognise the contribution he makes in that regard and the fact that the Minister, Deputy Coveney, has secured an additional €100 million for the Defence Forces next year. That includes pay, as it should, but it is the biggest increase in defence spending in any budget. I hope it will be seen as a positive. In regard to our national security, the national security analysis centre in the Department of the Taoiseach is drawing up a national security strategy. Work on that is ongoing. It was delayed as the people involved in it had to be diverted to work related to the pandemic. However, planning, consultation and analysis on a draft strategy has continued. I do not have a date for publication but it has been reprioritised in recent weeks given that those staff have been able to spend more time on that than while diverted due to the pandemic, which was the case for some time.

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