Tánaiste, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Minister for Defence, Micheál Martin, announced in April 2023 his intention to convene the Consultative Forum on International Security Policy to start a discussion on Ireland’s foreign and security policy. The Forum was designed to build public understanding and generate discussions on our foreign, security, and defence policies.
The Forum focused on a wide range of issues, including Ireland’s efforts to protect the rules-based international order through peacekeeping and crisis management, disarmament and non-proliferation, international humanitarian law, and conflict prevention and peacebuilding as well as allowing for a discussion on Ireland’s policy of military neutrality.
It looked at our current international partnerships in the area of peace and security, particularly as a member of the UN and the EU, as well as with our engagement with NATO through the Partnership for Peace framework. New and emerging threats were also discussed, including cyber and hybrid attacks, the use of disinformation and growing concerns over the protection of critical offshore infrastructure. The Forum also provided an opportunity to examine the experiences and choices of other partners in responding to the new security environment in Europe.
The Forum was an open, inclusive, and consultative discussion. It involved a wide range of stakeholders, with participation from civilian and military experts and practitioners representing a breadth of experience and views. The Consultative Forum took place in three different locations across four days in June 2023:
- 22 June at University College Cork
- 23 June at the University of Galway
- 26 and 27 June at Dublin Castle
Discussions were live-streamed and there was an opportunity for members of the public to make a submission to the forum in writing: