Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 20 January 2026
268. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Defence the position regarding any engagement she has had with her EU counterparts in relation to the increasingly volatile international climate; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3466/26]
View answerSince my appointment as Minister for Defence in late 2025, I have corresponded with a number of my EU counterparts, and I look forward to engaging with them in-person, both bilaterally and in the format of the EU's Foreign Affairs Council of Defence Ministers (FAC-Defence).
The first opportunity in this regard will arise next month, when I plan to attend the FAC (Defence) in Brussels on 11th February coming, followed by the informal meeting of EU Defence Ministers in Nicosia in March, under the Cyprus Presidency of the EU. These meetings and will provide a valuable opportunity to engage in discussions on a range of issues of real importance to European security and defence policy.
While the agenda for the February meeting has not yet been confirmed, it is safe to assume that the discussions will be dominated by the ongoing war in Ukraine and the European Union's response, along with EU defence readiness against the backdrop of the implementation of the October European Council conclusions in this regard.
Ireland is determined to continue playing a full part in the evolution of the EU's Common Security and Defence Policy and, given particular interests and concerns we have, it is important that Ireland's position is well understood in preparation for our Presidency of the Council of the EU later this year.
I also plan to attend the upcoming meeting of the Munich Security Council in mid-February, which should also provide a further opportunity to engage with EU and international colleagues on defence matters.
