National Risk Assessment 2021/2022 – Overview of Strategic Risks

The government has published the National Risk Assessment 2021/2022 - Overview of Strategic Risks. This report, along with details on the National Risk Assessment process, is below.

The National Risk Assessment was last published in 2019, and since that time the environment has changed dramatically with a number of major risks, most notably the pandemic, coming to pass. Brexit and the cyberattack on Ireland’s health services are two other major risks that have materialised. There has also been a number of major international reports on the increasing risk posed by climate change and the necessity of a stronger global response to address this risk.

The National Risk Assessment 2021/2022 includes some new risks including digital exclusion and economic scarring as well as others that have been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, such as housing supply and energy security. These are in addition to a number of pre-existing risks that remain significant for the country, including climate change, biodiversity loss and demographic pressures.

The experience of the past number of years has heightened the focus on risk management and structures nationally and internationally. The draft report notes some emerging international views on lessons for risk governance, as well as an emphasis at EU level on boosting resilience. There will be scope in the months ahead for further consideration of lessons for risk management.

The National Risk Assessment is a collaborative exercise to identify and discuss significant risks facing the country.

The National Risk Assessment is not intended to replicate or displace the detailed risk management and preparedness that happens across departments and agencies. Rather it focuses on the identification of strategic risks and is a tool to assist departments and agencies to update existing or develop new mitigation plans.

Since it was first published in 2014, the National Risk Assessment process has called attention to various risks that subsequently became major issues for Irish society, including Brexit, risks around housing supply and pandemics.

Links to previous reports.

There are several stages of consultation and discussion to ensure the process is comprehensive and inclusive of all viewpoints.

The draft list of risks was published on 23 July 2021 for a public consultation which ran until 8 September 2021. Stakeholders and members of the public were invited to provide views on the draft list of risks through an online survey and/or by providing an additional submission. The draft list of risks was also laid before the Oireachtas.

The National Risk Assessment has been updated to reflect the submissions received as appropriate and to take account of national and international developments since the draft list of risks and accompanying assessment was published in July.

Further detail on the consultation process and the feedback received.