John Brady (Wicklow, Sinn Fein)
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263. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if this Government is committed to the policy of military neutrality; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23757/22]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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Ireland’s longstanding policy of military neutrality has been implemented by successive Governments, and is characterised by non-membership of military alliances. This policy informs our active approach to peace support operations, crisis management, conflict resolution, and peacebuilding. There are no plans to alter this policy.

We must recognise however that the world has changed significantly in recent years, and the security and defence challenges we face as a country are not the same as those we faced in previous decades. Cyber and hybrid threats, for example, have emerged as a serious and on-going threat to global, regional, and national security.

In this context, I believe that a national debate on security and defence policy is needed. We must reflect on the security and defence challenges we face as a country and on ways to respond to those challenges. The Taoiseach has indicated that the issues involved could potentially be discussed through a Citizens Assembly or a similar framework. 

However, it is important that this debate should take place in an open and evidence-based way, and at an appropriate time. As I have said on many occasions, the immediate focus remains on easing the plight of the Ukrainian people and holding the Russian leadership to account.