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

Tógfaidh mé Ceisteanna Uimh. 1 go 9, go huile, le chéile.

Our national security is always a primary concern for the Government and we are carrying out substantial work in building and sustaining our security and capabilities across several sectors, including justice, defence, the economy, energy and cyber. The continuing threat from republican paramilitaries is a priority and our authorities continue to work closely with their counterparts in Northern Ireland and Britain to counteract it.

The security environment that we and our partner states face now is considerably more dynamic, different and international than in the past and our strategic approach to national security must reflect this. The serious deterioration in the European security environment caused by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the related economic and energy impacts, the growing effects of malicious cyber activities, instability in the international environment and the increased stress on liberal democracy, as well as the challenges posed by hybrid threats, are all subjects of ongoing work. This work also takes account of the implementation of the report from the Commission on the Defence Forces and, at a wider EU level, the EU strategic compass for security and defence.

The Tánaiste announced recently that the Government plans for a consultative forum on international security policy. The forum will seek to generate an open and evidence-based discussion on the State’s foreign and security policy. It seems to me that we have to move away from the traditional and binary debate on neutrality that tends to characterise discussions on our security and defence policy. Taking account of the changed geopolitical context, especially in Europe, the forum is designed to build public understanding and discussion on the links between the State’s broad foreign policy approach, national security and resilience and the State’s defence posture.

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