Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 7 May 2026
98. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Defence the position regarding her recent meeting with UK Prime Minister Kier Starmer at the latest UK-Ireland Summit in Cork, in particular in relation to a new defence agreement between Ireland and the UK; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22374/26]
View answerFollowing the inaugural UK-Ireland Summit in March of 2025, Taoiseach Micheál Martin TD and Prime Minister Keir Starmer MP committed to “review and update the existing 2015 Memorandum of Understanding on Defence by our next Summit in this series” to “reflect the rebuilding and strengthening of our partnership”.
The 2015 Memorandum of Understanding provided a framework for developing and furthering bilateral co-operation and relations between the Department of Defence and the UK Ministry of Defence..
I am pleased to say that I, along with the United Kingdom Secretary of State for Defence, John Healey MP, have delivered on that commitment and signed an update of the existing Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Ireland and the UK on the enhancement of bilateral engagement on certain aspects of Defence and Security.
This refreshed MoU updates the version signed in 2015 and provides for a particular focus in such areas as Maritime, Cyber Defence and Security, Air (Information Sharing) and Joint Procurement initiatives.
Both the original and updated MoU also take into account matters such as training, education and staff exchanges, among other topics. This Agreement strengthens cooperation and exchanges involving both civil and military personnel.
There will be a continued focus on the already existing co-operation arrangements in the Defence area between Ireland and the UK on a more formal and transparent footing, which respects fully the differing policy positions and security arrangements of both countries and continues to underpin the longstanding and positive engagement that exists between the Defence Forces and the UK Armed Forces, particularly in the area of training and staff to staff meetings.
