EU Presidency

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 29 September 2026

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Tuesday, 29 September 2026

Questions (230, 231)

Sinéad Gibney

Question:

230. Deputy Sinéad Gibney asked the Minister for Defence the budget that has been allocated to the Conference on Defence Industry her Department is organising as part of Ireland's EU presidency. [68163/26]

Sinéad Gibney

Question:

231. Deputy Sinéad Gibney asked the Minister for Defence the budget that was allocated to the Conference on Maritime Security organised by her Department as part of Ireland's EU presidency. [68159/26]

Written answers

Minister for Defence

I propose to take Questions Nos. 230 and 231 together.

Ireland is holding the Presidency of the Council of the European Union for the eighth time from 1 July to 31 December 2026.

In preparation for the Presidency, my Department and the Defence Forces have worked closely with the central Presidency team in the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, to plan and deliver events that fall within the Defence portfolio.

As part of this process, Departments were provided with a common costing framework to support the preparation of operational Presidency estimates. My Department has applied this framework in planning Presidency-related events, with a focus on delivering high-quality and cost-effective engagements.

The Conference on Maritime Security and Conference on Defence Industry are two of the events being organised by my Department during Ireland's Presidency of the Council of the European Union. The conferences are scheduled to take place over one day in October and November 2026 respectively, at an OPW-managed venue,  and are expected to host approximately 200 delegates per conference.

While provisional budget allocations have been made for each event, which includes the operational and logistical requirements associated with these events, and which are subject to, and have taken account of, the normal budgetary oversight and procurement processes, it would not be possible at this stage to provide an exact costing for each Conference until after final reconciliation and payment of all invoices has taken place.

Question No. 231 answered with Question No. 230.

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