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Taoiseach sets up national security council

Taoiseach Micheál Martin has announced the creation of a new Ministerial Council on National Security, to address Ireland's evolving security needs in the face of  'increasingly complex global threats' (19 March).

The council will be chaired by the Taoiseach and will bring together key figures responsible for Ireland's national security.

Members include the Tánaiste, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Minister for Defence, and Minister for Justice, Home Affairs, and Migration.

Senior officials such as the Garda Commissioner, Defence Forces Chief of Staff, director of the National Cyber Security Centre, and various secretaries general from government departments will also attend meetings.

The council will meet at least three times a year, and a national security committee, chaired by the secretary general of the Government, will meet quarterly to ensure ongoing collaboration and to prepare reports for the Ministerial Council.

Cyber threats

An Taoiseach pointed to the rise of cyber and hybrid threats, as well as the ongoing war in Ukraine as a driver of the move.

Martin stressed that Russian invasion poses an existential threat to EU member states, and said national security measures must be strengthened, ensuring a unified approach to addressing risks and challenges.