Duncan Smith (Dublin Fingal East, Labour)
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14. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence to provide an update on the establishment of a network of Defence attachés to be assigned to embassies around the globe; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49023/25]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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The 2015 White Paper on Defence, which outlined Ireland's long term approach to defence provision, recognised the need for the Department of Defence to continue to engage in developing and deepening bilateral relations with potential like-minded partners to secure Ireland’s position in current and future international crisis management operations. This view was reaffirmed by the 2022 Report of the Commission on the Defence Forces in 2022.

In response, a joint civilian/military project team was established in late 2022 to examine options in this respect and a project was formally initiated in May 2023. This project's purpose was to assess the potential benefits of creating a Defence Attaché network, to examine the potential appropriate composition (whether civilian or military) and duties of the role and to define responsibilities. It also considered how such a network could build on existing bilateral relations, as well as the potential for the deployment, as a pilot, of a Defence Attaché in one of the Irish embassies of strategic value and importance to Defence and Foreign Policy goals, where strong engagement exists on defence matters.

Consultations were carried out place with a range of stakeholders in this regard and the model is under active development. The report remains under review in collaboration with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.