Sinéad Gibney (Dublin Rathdown, Social Democrats)
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200. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if his Department has been briefed regarding ReArm Europe plans following the European council recently; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15459/25]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Russia’s aggression against Ukraine has changed the European security environment dramatically. Considered analysis of existing threats by our European partners is based not only on the experience of Ukraine in Europe, but of recent hybrid attacks on EU countries. These include attacks on critical infrastructure like transport and energy, cyberattacks and electoral interference.

In this context, Ireland needs to take our own security and defence, and our responsibility towards our like-minded partners seriously, and it is very clear that no state acting alone can address the entirety of existing and emerging security challenges.

While there are no plans to alter our policy of military neutrality, the new Programme for Government, recommits to the major transformation and modernisation programme underway for the Irish Defence Forces, which includes urgent capability development. Ireland has already seen significant increases in our own national defence spending in the past few years, which has allowed us to procure much needed capabilities.

Proposals from the EU such as those in the EU White Paper for 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 ReArm Europe Plan is part of the White Paper on European Defence - “Readiness 2030”, which was published on 19 March. Under its proposals, Member States will be able to boost defence spending through a new EU financial instrument, SAFE (Security and Action for Europe), which will provide Member States with up to €150 billion of loans guaranteed by the EU budget headroom. This will help Member States to boost their defence capabilities through common procurement. It will also activate the national escape clause of the Stability and Growth Pact, and also support the European Investment Bank Group in widening the scope of its lending to defence and security projects and accelerating the Savings and Investment Union to mobilise private capital.

Since its publication, Member States have had the opportunity to discuss the White Paper/ReArm Europe at the European Council on 20 March, and also at official level in Council Preparatory bodies.

Whilst a decision on formal proposals is not yet required, Ireland plans to take a constructive approach to the proposals outlined in the 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 strategic autonomy to defend itself in the long term.

I 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.