Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank Deputy Ó Cearúil for the question. As he rightly says, our programme for Government, Securing Ireland's Future, sets out a number of commitments relating to national security. It is probably the most robust programme for Government in terms of national security and the focus, quite rightly, on security and security defence infrastructure. It acknowledges that this is a time of geopolitical upheaval and challenges to democracy internationally, with threats and challenges arising from the rapidly changing geopolitical landscape across the world.

In this context, our Government will bring forward a number of measures relating to justice, defence, cybersecurity and central co-ordination, a review of our existing structures and a national security strategy. All are pieces of a puzzle with a view to enhancing further our national security.

The Taoiseach recently established the ministerial national security council, to which the Deputy alluded. As Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade and Defence, I and the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration are also members of that council. Both the Department of Defence and the Defence Forces have current roles and responsibilities relating to national security, including the fact that the Secretary General of the Department of Defence and the Chief of Staff are members of the National Security Committee and will attend meetings of the newly established ministerial security council. The ministerial council will ensure that at the highest level there is a structured, ongoing review of our strategic national security interests and systematised monitoring of progress with delivery on the Government's commitments in this area, including the delivery of our new national security strategy.

Our national security strategy will reflect the changing geopolitical landscape, notably the altered security situation in Europe, and will ensure a whole-of-government approach to defence and deterrence. The preparation of that strategy is being co-ordinated by the national security secretariat in the Department of the Taoiseach, with inputs provided by a range of relevant stakeholders, including both my Departments; the Department of justice; the Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment; our Defence Forces; the Garda; and the National Cyber Security Centre.

The preparation of a draft strategy covers a broad range of national security issues and it will include the implications of more recent security, defence and international developments and their related impacts, including the implementation of the Report of the Commission on the Defence Forces. The timeline is a matter for the Department of the Taoiseach, but I expect it to be later this year.

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