Irish Minister for Foreign Affairs, Trade and Defence Helen McEntee announced on Wednesday 1 July that her country could take part in the European SAFE instrument to lend to Member States for investment in defence.
“I believe we should collaborate more closely with our European counterparts through programmes such as SAFE,” she explained to a group of European journalists in Dublin for the launch of the Irish Presidency of the EU Council, including Agence Europe.
A new call for projects could take place this year, with €10 billion to €20 billion still available.
“I am preparing, with my colleagues in government, for our country to join ,SAFE not only to access funds, but also to work more closely with our European colleagues. This would allow us to work on procurement, but also on shared objectives and priorities in defending our critical infrastructure, while making sure that we are focused on security more broadly,” stressed Ms McEntee.
Although Ireland is militarily neutral – a stance that should not change – this does not prevent it from working with its partners on defence, the minister clarified. “Faced with threats that concern us all - because we are not sheltered from any threat, any more than any other country - our role must evolve. So, although I believe our country will remain militarily neutral, we must do more, and that is precisely what we are currently doing,” she explained.
Ireland’s EU defence budget reached a record €1.49 billion in 2026, an 11% increase compared with 2025.
“My ambition, as Minister for Defence, is to ensure that in the next budget – and we are already discussing this – we invest even more and are as ambitious as possible in our air, maritime and land defence,” added Ms McEntee. She specified that the aim was to have a more complete picture of the situation in our maritime area and to strengthen cooperation with other European and international countries in the face of emerging threats.
This year, Ms McEntee published her country’s very first maritime security strategy. Maritime security is a priority of the Irish Presidency of the EU Council.
Nineteen EU countries are currently participating in the SAFE instrument (see EUROPE 13842/5). (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)