Naoise Ó Cearúil (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)
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17. To ask the Taoiseach the role the new ministerial council on national security has in developing measures to tackle cyberthreats; how these will be delivered; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18017/25]

Ivana Bacik (Dublin Bay South, Labour)
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18. To ask the Taoiseach if he will provide an update on the progress of the national security strategy. [26917/25]

Ruth Coppinger (Dublin West, Solidarity)
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19. To ask the Taoiseach if he will provide an update on the progress of the national security strategy. [29592/25]

Ryan O'Meara (Tipperary North, Fianna Fail)
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20. To ask the Taoiseach if he will provide an update on the progress of the national security strategy. [29817/25]

Tom Brabazon (Dublin Bay North, Fianna Fail)
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21. To ask the Taoiseach if he will provide an update on the progress of the national security strategy. [29818/25]

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire (Cork South-Central, Sinn Fein)
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22. To ask the Taoiseach for an update on the progress of the national security strategy. [31327/25]

Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)
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23. To ask the Taoiseach if he will provide an update on the progress of the national security strategy. [32104/25]

Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, Solidarity)
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24. To ask the Taoiseach if he will provide an update on the progress of the national security strategy. [32308/25]

Micheál Martin (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail)
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I proposed to take Questions Nos. 18 to 24, inclusive, together.

The Programme for Government 2025, Securing Ireland's Future, sets out a number of commitments relating to national security and defence, and work to give effect to these is well under way. The establishment of a ministerial council on national security is a key commitment in the programme for Government and it will function to enhance central co-ordination on strategic national security matters.

I chaired the first meeting of the new council on 21 May 2025. The council received a detailed, up-to-date briefing on the current security situation from An Garda Síochána and the Defence Forces, and also on current cyberthreats.

The council meeting also reviewed commitments relating to national security and defence set out in the programme for Government and re-emphasised the importance of delivery of these commitments.

It is clear, in light of the worsened security situation in Europe and significant changes in the nature of the security challenges we and our partners face, that accelerated and increased investment in the State’s security and defence services will be required in the coming period.

The council received a detailed report from the national security committee. It considered current challenges in the international environment, including the war in Ukraine and conflict in the Middle East, and the implications for Ireland; the ongoing work on the reform and modernisation of the Defence Forces; the continued development of the State’s cybersecurity capabilities; and the ongoing work to strengthen and modernise our security-related legislation.

The preparation of a draft national security strategy is ongoing and it will cover the range of national security issues that are being considered by the ministerial council.

Work is also under way on a revised cybersecurity strategy and responsibility for the National Cyber Security Centre now rests under the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration. This is another important programme for Government commitment, which better aligns the Department's national security responsibilities. The ministerial council will meet again after the summer.

Naoise Ó Cearúil (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)
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The Taoiseach will recall that in 2021 the HSE experienced a cyberattack. The estimated cost to the HSE was in the region €102 million. The upgrade costs on its security amounted to an estimated €657 million. With the rise of artificial intelligence, we are now seeing far more sophisticated cyberattacks. I have asked the Deputy Malcolm Byrne, the chair of the Joint Committee on Artificial Intelligence, whether the committee could look at cyberattacks, particularly from an AI perspective. Is the ministerial council on national security assessing how cyberattacks will change with the rise of artificial intelligence? AI is far more sophisticated and has changed dramatically over the past number of years. It will continue to change. It will not be static. The ministerial council meets once every two or three months. It might get to a stage where it needs to meet a little more frequently.

Ivana Bacik (Dublin Bay South, Labour)
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In December 2022, I wrote to the Taoiseach, who was the then Tánaiste, and the then Taoiseach, former Deputy Leo Varadkar, seeking updates on the national security strategy and also seeking briefings for Opposition leaders on national security, as is standard in many countries. That was in the context of Russia's brutal war in Ukraine, the cyberattack on the HSE and reports of Russian spies in Ireland. Since then, desperately sadly and tragically, we have seen 20 months of Israel's genocidal bombardment and onslaught upon the people of Gaza and, most recently, an escalating war in the Middle East with Israel now openly attacking Iran. I urge restraint, as I know the Taoiseach has done, from both Israel and Iran. I ask this because EU foreign ministers are to meet with southern neighbourhood countries next Monday, 23 June. I understand those countries include Israel. In light of what Israel is doing on the world stage and in Gaza, will Ireland be participating in that meeting with Israel? Has the Taoiseach called for Israel not to be included in that meeting?

Closer to home, I also want to ask about a story that has been highlighted by my colleague, Deputy Alan Kelly, on concerns about the control of firearms in Ireland, in particular with how the Garda Commissioner handled the incident around a controlled delivery to a vulnerable young man. Deputy Kelly has also raised issues with holsters and the storage of weapons in Garda headquarters. Is the Taoiseach satisfied with the Commissioner and with An Garda Síochána's handling of these matters?

Ruth Coppinger (Dublin West, Solidarity)
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What is our country's security strategy going forward? It seems to be so tied in with the EU that we cannot assert our own so-called values and beliefs. For example, the Taoiseach says there is a genocide on Gaza, as does the Tánaiste. Ursula von der Leyen says it is Israel defending itself. It was an incredible statement that was put out over the weekend, after Israel had bombed Iran, to say that this was Israel defending itself. We have also seen 330 Palestinians murdered at food sites, which are now becoming known as execution sites, backed by the US. This is the policy of the EU Commissioner. Has the Taoiseach taken her up on that? Has he challenged what she said and demanded that Ireland break ranks with that?

In regard to our military spending and EU policy, we are going to be spending an incredible amount on fighter jets and so on, bringing us into contact with companies that are directly involved in the genocide in Palestine, such as Lockheed Martin, Raytheon and Airbus. Last year, the Taoiseach said we would not be buying Israeli equipment. There is Israeli equipment in the Airbus helicopters. That is a complete change from what was promised. The Taoiseach gave a commitment on this. Our foreign and security policy is now becoming more militarised. We are going to increase spending to €3 billion in the next few years, spending money on armoured vehicles and spending €100 million on fighter jets and €40 million on advanced missile systems known as javelins.

John McGuinness (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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I ask Deputy Coppinger to conclude.

Ruth Coppinger (Dublin West, Solidarity)
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We are doing all this to impress the EU but it is not what the Irish people want.

Tom Brabazon (Dublin Bay North, Fianna Fail)
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As the Taoiseach will be aware, in 2019 the Government proposed to develop a national security strategy. The new strategy at that time aimed to set out a whole-of-government approach on how the State could protect its national security and vital interests. Over a period of five years, from 2020 to 2025, the current and emerging threats have changed significantly and the threats have increased significantly, particularly given the international context in which we find ourselves, to which other Deputies have alluded.

I welcome that national security is given such a high profile, with the Taoiseach, the Tánaiste, the Ministers for foreign affairs, Defence, Justice, Home Affairs and Migration, the Secretaries General of those Departments, the Defence Forces Chief of Staff, the National Cyber Security Centre director, and the Taoiseach's and Tánaiste's chiefs of staff also attending meetings. It is crucial that the council keeps abreast of this issue and meets regularly to keep on top of the continuing threats.

I welcome the fact that the State has announced a contract to develop a new sonar system which will be a towed sonar capability. When attached to an Irish naval vessel, it will assist the Defence Forces with monitoring subsea areas in Ireland's exclusive economic zones. It will help with fisheries, drug and other criminal detection.

Ruairí Ó Murchú (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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We have had the disgraceful action by the genocidal entity, Israel, with its escalation of attacks on Iran. This draws into question the EU-Israel association agreement and we need to see movement on that, post-haste. We already knew that. The occupied territories Bill obviously has to be delivered and apply to services. Beyond that, what is the plan? The Taoiseach might not agree with the Sinn Féin legislation to stop the State and the Central Bank from facilitating the sale of Israel's war bonds, which are used to finance the genocide. In regard to national security strategy, how does it take into account the cyberthreats? We are dealing with issues with spy software such as Predator and Pegasus. What resources, capabilities and legislation do we require? Where is the crossover between the National Cyber Security Centre, the Defence Forces and the Department of justice? We want something that works. We all welcome the fact that we will have sonar capacity. We need to ensure our undersea cables are secure.

Mark Ward (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein)
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In response to a parliamentary question to my colleague Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire last month, the Taoiseach said that the development of Ireland's first national security strategy is still ongoing, almost seven years after a Government commission called for it. The report of the Commission on the Future of Policing in Ireland recommended the immediate establishment of a strategic threat analysis centre, headed by a full-time national security adviser. This was a much-needed and welcome development but it is extremely disappointing that it has not developed to any great extent beyond this announcement. It is long past time that the Government got serious in the area of security and defence. We have a recruitment and retention crisis in our Defence Forces. Key personnel are leaving the Defence Forces and we need to put a halt to this. We need to ensure our Defence Forces are protected and invested in. In a time of ever-increasing global instability and of irresponsible and dangerous rhetoric by those in positions of great power, such as Ursula von der Leyen, it is more important now than ever that Ireland stands for peace and neutrality and has an effective security strategy in the face of the dangerous militarisation agenda driven by power, greed and war.

Almost seven years after a Government commission called for Ireland's first national security strategy, will the Taoiseach give a firm timeline and a direct answer on its delivery?

Micheál Martin (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Deputies who have raised issues. I will make a general comment. This question related to the national security committee, national security council and national security strategy, not foreign policy. This is welcome. I established a national security council as Taoiseach to try to bring greater democratic accountability on matters pertaining to national security. It is up to people to raise what they like at different times. However, there is a logic in trying to focus on core security issues as opposed to foreign policy issues which we debate elsewhere in the House, just to make that overall point.

Deputy Ó Cearúil was first. On cybersecurity, the National Cyber Security Centre is coming in under the Minister for justice. This is a welcome move. The centre was under communications, climate and all that area. It belongs to a national security framework and it will be under the Minister for justice. The director is on the national security council. The Deputy's point is well made in terms of the rise of AI and the impact it will have on more sophisticated and perhaps more regular cyberattacks on companies and State enterprises. We have to be extremely vigilant. Cyber warfare is the biggest problem we have in cybersecurity. Many companies face cybersecurity attacks on a regular basis. We have to build up expertise. We also have to work with others. We cannot do it on our own. We have to work with other countries on cybersecurity in terms of expertise and sharing experiences. When the cyberattack on our health service happened, Poland and the United Kingdom were on to us immediately. Poland had experience with the Conti group, which carried out the attack on our health service. There will be collaboration with other countries and we do need constant engagement with other countries across the European Union and beyond in respect of cybersecurity threats to all law-abiding states. I just want to make that overall point.

On Deputy Bacik's points, I am not going to comment on Garda operational issues. The national security council committee will not be dealing with operational matters of An Garda Síochána in terms of what happens on a day-to-day basis. It is looking more at threats to the State from third party actors, which could be countries or individuals who could be doing certain things that could endanger or cause a risk to the security of the State. On the issue Deputy Kelly raised, I responded in the Dáil and the Minister for justice is responding as well. In terms of that meeting which the Deputy did raise again last week, I will ask the Minister for foreign affairs and will have to come back to the Deputy on it.

Deputy Coppinger raised what are essentially foreign policy issues. Our security strategy is not beholden to the European Union. It is very much fundamentally about national security, protecting our own citizens from any undermining of our security, via cyber security attacks, subsea cable attacks, hybrid attacks, misinformation on social media, or terrorist attacks, although they are low in terms of possibility here, but nonetheless all those areas-----

Ruth Coppinger (Dublin West, Solidarity)
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The Taoiseach mentioned the Middle East. That is why I mentioned it.

Micheál Martin (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail)
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----are subject to potential threats in terms of national security. We have been very consistent at European Union level in terms of our position on the right of Palestinians to their own state. We have called out the war crimes and the blatant, flagrant abuses of international law by Israel in Gaza and indeed increasingly now in the West Bank, which is a cause of great concern. We will not be spending money on fighter jets for a long time, for quite some time. Our immediate focus is on radar. We have purchased C295s. There will be a further strategic lift airplane purchased very shortly. We are building up our investment but we are coming from an incredibly low base as a country. The Deputy's language was around the militarisation of Ireland but we are a long way off that. We need to have a sense of perspective and balance in this debate. We do need to invest in our Army and Naval Service. Maybe the Deputy's party does not believe in armies or navies and that is a legitimate position to have. Perhaps that is the Deputy's position. I believe we need an Army, a Naval Service and an Air Corps and we need to invest. They need the best of equipment because they go on peacekeeping missions and they share that equipment with other countries like Poland at the moment in Lebanon, and with Hungary, so they need to have interoperability in weaponry.

Ruth Coppinger (Dublin West, Solidarity)
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And the Israeli equipment?

Micheál Martin (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail)
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We cannot just label all defence as some sort of appalling activity or sector. It is necessary for the protection of citizens.

I will come back to Deputy Brabazon on the timelines around the national security strategy. It is important. My Department is co-ordinating this. There is a national security secretariat in my Department. It is now putting together inputs from all the different Departments, including the Departments of Foreign Affairs and Trade; Defence; justice; and environment, climate and communications; An Garda Síochána; the National Cyber Security Centre; and the Defence Forces. We are going ahead with the smaller radar.

In response to Deputy Ó Murchú, I have made my comments in terms of Israel. That is more in the foreign policy domain and will not come under the national security council or committee. I take the Deputy's point that cyber threats are a big concern. The National Cyber Security Centre is now under the Minister for justice, as I said. I take Deputy Ward's point that there is a need to bring this to a conclusion and to develop and publish the strategy.