Government urged to create dedicated Defence Minister post
O'hare Docked Beckett At The Picture: Haulbowline Base Samuel Naval The In Eddie
The chairman of the Oireachtas Defence Committee has urged his Government colleagues to establish a dedicated Minister of Defence to drive investment into and reform of the Defence Forces, saying the current process is “too slow”.
The call from FG Laois Offaly TD Charlie Flanagan - who has previously served as minister for justice and minister for foreign affairs – was backed by former Army Ranger and Kildare independent TD Cathal Berry, who said Ireland had two education ministers and two finance ministers but no defence minister.
They were commenting on the back of the attempted drug importation in west Cork, during which the sole Irish navy ship on patrol was in Dun Laoghaire harbour, south Dublin, as part of St Patrick’s Day public engagement duties.
“We are in a changed European landscape and can no longer be an outlier in Europe,” Mr Flanagan said.
“I have great respect for Tánaiste Micheál Martin [who holds both foreign affairs and defence portfolios], but we need a standalone minister for defence.”
He said the implementation of the second of three investment options outlined by the Commission on Defence in February 2022, and accepted by the Government, is "too slow".