Press release
Statement by Tánaiste on publication of the report of the Consultative Forum on International Security Policy
From Department of Foreign Affairs
Published on
Last updated on
From Department of Foreign Affairs
Published on
Last updated on
The Tánaiste, Minister for Foreign Affairs, and Minister for Defence, Micheál Martin, presented to Government the report of the Consultative Forum on International Security Policy this morning.
The report, prepared by the Chair of the Forum, Louise Richardson DBE, provides a summary and analysis of the four days of discussions and over 800 submissions to the public consultation.
Commenting this morning, the Tánaiste said:
“I would like to greatly commend the Chair, Louise Richardson DBE, for the report which I presented to Government today. It forms a valuable milestone in the ongoing national debate about our international security policy.
"In an increasingly unpredictable world, we need to work together to navigate the complex choices we face from a baseline of facts and evidence. The Chair’s report marks an important contribution to this effort."
The Tánaiste will now review the report and consider its conclusions. A Dáil debate will also be scheduled in the coming weeks. The Tánaiste will then decide whether to bring forward a set of recommendations to Government.
The Consultative Forum took place in Cork, Galway and Dublin from 22-27 June. It involved a range of stakeholders, including civilian and military experts and practitioners. All discussions were live-streamed and almost 850 submissions to the public consultation were received. It was an open, inclusive, and consultative discussion.
The Forum focused on a wide range of issues, including Ireland’s efforts to protect the rules-based international order through peacekeeping and crisis management, disarmament and non-proliferation, international humanitarian law, and conflict prevention and peacebuilding as well as allowing for a discussion on Ireland’s policy of military neutrality.
It looked at our current international partnerships in the area of peace and security, particularly as a member of the UN and the EU, as well as with our engagement with NATO through the Partnership for Peace framework. New and emerging threats were also discussed, including cyber and hybrid attacks, the use of disinformation and growing concerns over the protection of critical offshore infrastructure. The Forum also provided an opportunity to examine the experiences and choices of other partners in responding to the new security environment in Europe.
The report, prepared by the Chair of the Forum, Louise Richardson DBE, provides a high-level overview of proceedings across the four days as well as of the public submissions received.
The report points to a number of areas of broad agreement, notably in terms of the pride felt in Ireland’s global reputation in international affairs, the need for investment in the Defence Forces, the need to focus on new threats such as cybersecurity and the protection of critical maritime infrastructure and the benefits to Ireland of multilateral and international engagement.
The report also analyses a number of contested areas, including the continued application of the Triple Lock, the link between Ireland’s international reputation and neutrality, the relationship with NATO, proposals for a constitutional amendment on neutrality and Ireland’s overall conception of neutrality.