Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 16 June 2026
270. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Defence if any specific requests have been made to her, her Department or to Government in general, by any other States, or by the European Commission or any multilateral body, for Ireland to increase defence spending; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45875/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraDefence, at its core, remains a national competence and decision-making power in relation to defence remains a national competence under the EU Treaties.
While Ireland is a strong supporter of EU's Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP) and will remain fully engaged in all CSDP processes, participation in the CSDP does not prejudice the security and defence policy or obligations of any Member State.
At EU level, discussions on strengthening defence spending and readiness are ongoing, particularly in the context of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, and are taking place at various levels, including in the context of the European Semester and related Country Specific Recommendations.
While the European Council has called for an acceleration of work on all strands to decisively ramp up Europe’s defence readiness over the next few years, none of the discussions at EU level impose or propose to impose binding obligations on Member States in respect of defence expenditure.
