127. Deputy Peter Roche asked the Minister for Defence the defence and security priorities she intends to advance during Ireland’s EU Presidency; the initiatives Ireland expects to lead or support in the areas of European security, defence cooperation, resilience and military mobility; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54026/26]

Thank you Deputy for the question.  As the Member State holding the Presidency of the Council of the European Union (the eighth such occasion), Ireland's first responsibility will be to progress the EU agenda and to act as an honest broker in advancing the Union's priorities, building on our strong record in previous Presidencies.

My key priority in the period ahead is for Ireland to strongly influence the security and defence sphere for the duration of the Presidency during this crucial period for European security.

Active support for Ukraine will be a defining priority of the Irish Presidency. We will work with Member States, EU institutions and international partners to ensure continued support for Ukraine as it defends itself against Russia's ongoing aggression, consistent with Ireland's national policy and the broader EU approach.

More broadly, the Irish Presidency will highlight the central role of the EU's Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP) and the important contribution it makes to European and international security. We will support efforts to ensure that the CSDP remains responsive to ongoing and emerging crises and continues to evolve in line with the changing security environment, including on how EU CSDP efforts can continue to support Lebanon post the conclusion of the UNIFIL mission at the end of this year.

Maritime security will also be a particular area of focus during our Presidency. This will include supporting EU-level efforts to enhance maritime domain awareness, address hybrid maritime threats, strengthen the protection of critical maritime infrastructure and contribute to the mid-term review of the EU Maritime Security Strategy during the second half of 2026.

We will also take forward work on actions arising from the forthcoming European Security Strategy and on the implementation of measures contained in the White Paper on the Future of European Defence - Readiness 2030. This will include supporting collaboration between Member States to address critical capability gaps, strengthen defence preparedness and build resilience in the face of emerging and hybrid threats.

Ireland will also progress a number of important legislative files in the defence sphere during our Presidency, including proposals relating to Military Mobility, the Defence Procurement Directive and the AGILE Regulation. We will work closely with Member States and the EU institutions to facilitate consensus and advance these files in a practical and constructive manner.

Countering hybrid threats and strengthening resilience will be another important priority. We will support EU efforts to improve preparedness, enhance resilience against cyber and hybrid activity, and strengthen the protection of critical infrastructure. In this context, Ireland will continue to support implementation of the Critical Entities Resilience Directive and broader EU initiatives relating to critical infrastructure security.

Partnership will remain central to the Irish Presidency's approach to security and defence. We will seek to promote close cooperation with like-minded partners and with international organisations, including the United Nations, the OSCE and NATO, recognising the importance of cooperation in addressing shared security challenges.

Finally, I will also host an informal meeting of EU Defence Ministers during the Presidency. This will provide an important opportunity to advance discussions on the key security and defence challenges facing the Union.