Ireland establishes ministerial council on national security

Taoiseach Micheál Martin has announced a new council focused on national security in Ireland. This council, chaired by the Taoiseach, will examine key security developments and review reports related to both national and international safety. The council will include several high-ranking officials, such as the Tánaiste, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, the Minister for Defence, and the Minister for Justice. Other members include the Garda Commissioner and the Chief of Staff of the Defence Forces. They will meet at least three times a year to improve national security coordination. In a separate development, Minister for Justice Jim O'Callaghan reported that a review of police response was prepared after the Dublin Riots in November 2023. This report aims to better equip gardaí for future public disturbances. Over 250 public order gardaí were on duty during the riots, while additional resources including water cannons and more public order vans will be added to strengthen their response. O'Callaghan noted that there is now a Public Order Unit with 1,500 trained gardaí nationwide, including 700 in Dublin. He emphasized the importance of better equipment and reported that the government spent around €2.7 million on improvements such as body armor. Despite these changes, Aontú leader Peadar Tóibín expressed concerns about the declining number of frontline gardaí. He noted that the total number of gardaí has decreased this year, dropping from 12,045 to 11,928 officers. Tóibín criticized the government for not adequately staffing rural garda stations, leaving communities vulnerable to crime. In response, Taoiseach Martin acknowledged the hard work of An Garda Síochána and stated that the overall size of the police force is at a record high, assuring the public of their commitment to citizen safety.