Preparations for Ireland’s Presidency are now intensifying across both policy and operational strands of planning both within my Department and the Defence Forces, and across Government. The Department of Defence will work closely with the central Presidency team within the Department of Foreign Affairs who are tasked putting in place key operational and logistical building blocks to underpin the delivery of the programme of Presidency meetings to be held in Ireland. They will also work with their colleagues in An Garda Síochána.
At the outset, I should state that National Security rests primarily with the Department of Justice and An Garda Síochána. The Defence Forces’ role, as always, is to provide support to An Garda Síochána where specific capabilities are required under the Aid to the Civil Power framework. In relation to specific measures to be taken at Dublin Airport, including drone detection measures, is primarily a matter for the Dublin Airport Authority and An Garda Siochana.
The Deputy will appreciate for security reasons it is not appropriate to comment further on operational details of the use of Casement Aerodrome. However I can assure the Deputy that my Department and the Defence Forces are committed to ensuring that the 2026 Presidency is delivered safely, efficiently, and in full partnership with other State agencies.
The Deputy will also appreciate that it is not appropriate for me to comment further on operational decisions particularly in relation to deployment of military capabilities, however, I recognise that there is an urgent operational requirement to prioritise delivery of Counter Unmanned Aerial Systems (C-UAS) capabilities for use by the Defence Forces and work in this area is ongoing to ensure this capability is available ahead of the EU Presidency.
This week I brought the National Development Plan for the Defence Sector to Government and in that I have prioritised the delivery of a primary radar capability to ensure that Ireland can maintain a complete ‘Recognised Air Picture’. This is an immediate and top priority for me as Minister and has been recognised in the Commission on the Defence Forces as being essential. A project team comprising senior civil and military personnel is continuing to progress the “Military Radar Programme”. I was pleased to recently welcome the approval by the Dáil of the Government’s proposal for a substantive capital supplementary estimate of €19 million on the Defence Vote. It is intended that the additional budget allocation will be used to procure, in an accelerated manner, Counter Unmanned Aerial System (C-UAS) capabilities for the Defence Forces, that will provide enhanced aerial protection around Baldonnel and ensure that the facility can remain fully operational at all times.
