Tánaiste Publishes Defence Policy Review

The Tánaiste and Minister for Defence, Micheál Martin TD, today (25 July) published the ‘Defence Policy Review - Adjusting and affirming our Defence Policy in an era of change’, which is the latest in the fixed cycle of such reviews and sets out Government Defence policy to 2028.

The Defence Policy Review, which received government approval this week, is based on a security environment assessment carried out by an interdepartmental and interagency working group acknowledging the significant changes in the international security environment.

Commenting on the publication of the review, the Tánaiste said, “The world is facing an increasingly challenging and contested security environment. Ireland has a responsibility through our Defence policy to invest in the defence of the state, to protect our citizens, our values and our sovereign interests and to continue to contribute to international peace and security.”

The Defence Policy Review highlights a number of key priorities for the period to 2028. These include:

• a focus on maritime security. The Department of Defence will lead on the development of the National Maritime Security Strategy (in cooperation with national and international stakeholders);

• an immediate focus on the development of an Integrated Monitoring and Surveillance System for Air, Land and Sea domains for Ireland.

• implementation of changes to command and control and required governance and accountability, all of which are vital to the necessary transformation of the Defence Forces;

• Ireland will continue to play its part along with other Member States in supporting European defence and security, with cooperation framed in the context of our military neutrality;

• the maintenance of Defence funding increases, as a critical and crucial enabler for the transformation of the Defence Forces and the reinforcement of Ireland’s role as trusted security partner and responsible neighbour.

ENDS

Notes for Editors

• The White Paper on Defence published in 2015 set out the Government intention to put in place a new fixed cycle of defence reviews. The first of these reviews, the White Paper Update, was published in 2019. This Defence Policy Review is the latest in the fixed cycle of reviews and lays out Government policy to 2028;

• This Policy Review is published at a time of intense security challenges for Europe. Ireland’s national and international security environment reflects this and is accordingly undergoing a period of profound change. Inter-State war has returned to the continent of Europe. Ireland’s geographic position and policy of military neutrality in itself can no longer mitigate the security risks and threats posed by malign actors;

• Ireland is committed to increased levels of defence investment to enable the transformation of our Defence Forces and its capabilities across the five operational domains. The Government has already agreed to increasing investment in the Defence Forces to €1.5 billion, in 2022 prices, by 2028 through the annual estimates process, with consideration thereafter of a move to Level of Ambition 3 ;

• The main conclusions and actions on foot of this Defence Policy Review are grouped under a small number of headings, viz.

o A period of profound change for Ireland’s security environment;

o The need for Defence Policy to adapt and respond to these changes;

o Prioritising specific enhancements of our capabilities in response to the security environment;

o Ireland will play its part in supporting the rules based international order; and

o Forthcoming changes in Command & Control and Governance of the Defence Forces, which will support the Transformation required.