Sinéad Gibney (Dublin Rathdown, Social Democrats)
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117. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the steps he will take to ensure Irish neutrality will be adequately safeguarded in ReArm Europe plans recently announced by Ursula von der Leyen, in the context of EU monies being used for defence and security investment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11334/25]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Ireland’s policy of military neutrality means that Ireland does not participate in military alliances or common or mutual defence arrangements. The Government has been clear that it has no desire to alter this policy.

However, our policy of military neutrality does not insulate us from the impacts of a rapidly changing and volatile international security environment that has become the new reality across Europe. Against this backdrop, we recognise the need to take our own security and our responsibility towards our like-minded partners, more seriously than ever.

As a committed EU Member State, Ireland is determined to actively contribute to the formation of the EU’s evolving shared global outreach, and emerging policies and instruments, in line with our national priorities and interests.

In this context, proposals from the EU such as those in the EU White Paper on the Future of European Defence, as well as those set out by President von der Leyen under the ReArm Europe Plan, may provide assistance to Ireland in achieving further progress.

The Taoiseach will attend the European Council in Brussels this week, where Leaders will discuss these proposals in the context of the EU’s continuing support for Ukraine and the need for proposals to strengthen European defence.

Ireland plans to take a constructive approach to the proposals outlined in President von der Leyen’s ReArm Europe initiative, which we believe will assist Member States to fund White Paper objectives. It is a further opportunity for the EU to demonstrate a credible and unified approach in taking responsibility for our own defence, whilst also stepping up our collective efforts to support Ukraine in the short term, and ensure its ability to defend itself in the long term.

I, along with the Taoiseach, will engage with our European partners to progress this discussion over the coming months, as we work together to ensure that our collective decision on the way ahead respects the security and defence policies of all Member States - including those, like Ireland, who are militarily neutral - whilst addressing our critical and pressing capability gaps.