Enhancing Ireland’s security & resilience amid geopolitical risk
Strategic insights on national security, resilience, and economic opportunity
Ireland faces unprecedented security challenges amid a shifting European landscape. Hybrid warfare tactics threaten our society, economy, and way of life. It is time for decisive leadership and collective action to protect our future.
This whitepaper examines how Ireland can adapt to the risks of a now dangerous world while unlocking opportunities from unprecedented European defence spending.
To gather data for this paper, the IIEA and Deloitte hosted roundtables engaging senior representatives from Government agencies, financial services, communications, energy infrastructure operators, technology sector, aviation, think-tanks, and academic representatives.
Executive summary
Ireland is now in a deteriorating European security environment that is unlikely to improve in the short-term. The State finds itself at a point where its people are now at increased exposure to geopolitical risks.
Furthermore, these geopolitical risks endanger Ireland's reputation as a safe and stable place to do business, threatening Ireland's economic and social wellbeing.
"I don't think the concept of geopolitical volatility begins to capture the scale of what we are facing... I fear these issues will not be crystalised until we see a crisis - and by then it will be too late."
— Roundtable Participant
Critical finding
Of greatest concern is that the possibility of an armed attack on an EU Member State, and its reverberating consequences for Ireland, are no longer outside the bounds of possibility.
Read more about the key concerns and steps needed to protect Ireland's national security below:
Key insights in numbers
Subsea cables in Northern Hemisphere pass through Irish waters
Irish companies face disruption or financial loss from cyberattacks
Ireland's electricity will be used by data centres by 2030
Recommendations and strategies for how Ireland can secure its future
Leadership, collaboration, and opportunity
- Leadership and direction: Develop a unified National Security Strategy, strengthen political leadership, and enhance Government capacity for crisis response.
- Whole-of-society approach: Increase public awareness of hybrid threats, deepen public-private partnerships, and foster peer-to-peer relationships through joint exercises.
- Unlocking opportunities during a time of crisis: Support Ireland’s defence and dual-use sectors with a dedicated strategy, expedite security clearances, amend legislation to aid SMEs, and leverage Ireland’s financial services to fund European defence innovation
What is Ireland’s role in European security?
Seizing economic and strategic opportunities
Ireland’s growing technology sector and financial services industry position the country to play a leadership role in European defence innovation and investment. By aligning with EU initiatives and supporting domestic SMEs, Ireland can enhance its security while boosting economic prosperity.
Ireland’s security and prosperity are intertwined. Through decisive leadership, collaboration across society, and strategic investment, we can safeguard our nation and contribute meaningfully to European security.
