New Strategic Framework and Updated Detailed Implementation Plan

The Minister for Defence, Helen McEntee TD, has today (Tuesday, 10 February) published a new Strategic Framework for the Transformation of the Defence Forces and an Update to the Detailed Implementation Plan for the Commission on the Defence Forces.

Speaking after today’s Government meeting, at which both the updated Detailed Implementation Plan and the new Strategic Framework were noted, Minister McEntee said:

“These two documents will be fundamental in the next phase of reform to strengthen Ireland’s Defence Forces in an evolving and increasingly complex security environment, as well as implementing cultural change.

“Since the launch of the Detailed Implementation Plan in November 2023, considerable progress has been made, with 54 of the Commission’s recommendations completed as of 31 December 2025.

“These documents will highlight a renewed focus on workforce planning, new command and joint structures, service reform, revitalising the Reserve Defence Force and developing modern joint capabilities. The Strategic Framework will also set out priority actions for the year ahead, including boosting recruitment and retention, regenerating the Naval Service and Air Corps, improving equipment and working environments, progressing legislative reform and accelerating digital and data transformation.

“In parallel with the Update to the Detailed Implementation Plan, The Strategic Framework for the Transformation of the Defence Forces brings together into one overarching document, the immediate actions to be taken to support the transformation of the Defence Forces into a fit-for-purpose organisation, ready to defend the State and meet the challenges of today and the future.

“It builds on the work of the first Strategic Framework that was published in September 2023, and the various reports and plans since 2022 on which the Government committed to take action.

“The transformation of our Defence Forces is more vital now than ever before."

Detailed Implementation Plan

The Updated Detailed Implementation Plan for the Report of the Commission on the Defence Forces follows a similar format and style to the original Detailed Implementation Plan, published in 2023.

• It sets out the timelines for the delivery of the 130 recommendations. The Report of the CoDF highlighted five core areas that must be addressed, on foot of policy decisions in relation to level of ambition and budget. These five core areas are now captured as five Strategic Objectives, which are:

1. Strategic HR and Cultural Change to be Delivered;
2. New C2 and Joint Structures to be Established;
3. Services to be Reformed and Restructured;
4. Reserve Defence Force to be Revitalised; and
5. Joint Capability Development to be Implemented.

The actions to be taken under each strategic objective are outlined, along with the timelines for so doing.

Strategic Framework

The Strategic Framework sets out the specific actions to be taken over the next 12 months under the following headings:

• recommendations of the Independent Review Group Report;
• the recommendations of the Commission on the Defence Forces;
• regeneration and growth of Ireland’s Naval Service and Air Corps, and ensuring parity of esteem across all services;
• increasing the number of personnel in our Defence Forces;
• enhancing the physical working environment and equipment of our personnel;
• data, reporting and digital transformation of the Defence Forces;
• legislative changes to underpin the transformation agenda;
• priority actions identified by the External Oversight Body of the Defence Forces (EOB);
• governance and reporting arrangements to oversee this transformation and bring transparency and accountability to the work;
• the means by which the impact of the transformation initiatives is measured; and
• the work in the area of defence policy which will occur in parallel with the cultural transformation of the Defence Forces.

The timescale for this Strategic Framework is 12 months. It is the intention of the Minister for Defence to publish a revised Strategic Framework for 2027 and beyond, at the conclusion of this Strategic Framework.