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Discover how Ireland can secure its future through resilience in infrastructure, cybersecurity, and strategic partnerships.
In brief
- Ireland's interconnected infrastructure is vital for global data and energy, making resilience essential for national security and competitiveness.
- Investment in defence and cybersecurity is crucial as threats evolve; collaboration between public and private sectors will enhance national preparedness.
- The National Development Plan presents a unique opportunity to future-proof critical infrastructure and embed resilience in all sectors.
Resilience is now a critical component of national competitiveness. For Ireland, this is not a theoretical concept; it is a strategic imperative to safeguard our energy, data, and essential services, particularly in the face of geopolitical shocks, climate change, and rapidly evolving security threats.
Why resilience matters and why Ireland is uniquely exposed
Ireland’s position as a global hub for data and technology, financial services, life sciences and advanced manufacturing is dependent on interconnected infrastructure. Our undersea data cables carry around 97 percent of the world’s communications and internet traffic, with almost €10 trillion in daily financial transactions moving through them. These links connect European and US markets, making Ireland a vital node in the global digital economy.
Gas pipelines connect us to the UK for 80 percent of our energy needs, and British interconnectors supplied 14 percent of our electricity in 2024. These assets are essential but also concentrated, meaning a single point of failure can have both a national and a global reach.
These risks are no longer hypothetical. From anchor drags damaging subsea cables, which has increased markedly in recent years since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, to climate-driven storms like Éowyn knocking out power for days, Ireland’s vulnerability is real. Add to that a maritime area nine times our landmass, growing cyber threats, and increasing geopolitical competition, and resilience becomes essential for business continuity and investor confidence.
The FDI equation: stability as a strategic asset
Political, economic and geopolitical stability has long underpinned Ireland’s success in attracting foreign direct investment. Ireland hosts some of the world’s largest data centres, pharmaceutical companies and Research & Development (R&D) facilities that are central to the global footprint of businesses. All depend on a predictable and secure operating environment.
Progress so far but more to go
Ireland’s progress to date has been most visible in defence and security investment.
Ireland is making important strides. The Government’s €1.7 billion capital allocation for Defence under the National Development Plan (2026–2030), the largest in State history, will enhance radar, sonar and surveillance capabilities. Renewable energy capacity is growing, and new maritime security and cyber strategies are in development.
However, these efforts must continue at pace. Level 2 of the Defence Forces’ Level of Ambition delivers a meaningful capability enhancement relative to the current baseline, but it remains short of the full-spectrum capability envisaged at Level 3.
A shared responsibility: public and private roles
Resilience can no longer be solely within the remit of government. Ireland has a strong base of private sector expertise in cybersecurity, satellite data, marine surveying and drone surveillance. With clear procurement pathways and structured partnerships, these capabilities can be integrated into national resilience planning almost immediately.
Ireland has already taken steps with structures such as the Major Projects Advisory Group, but further integration with resilience planning will be key to ensuring national preparedness.
EU membership is also a strategic advantage. Leveraging the EU’s Common Security and Defence Policy, as well as targeted partnerships with allies, Ireland has the potential to bolster our capacity in the short term while we develop our own capabilities.
Delivering at pace: the infrastructure challenge
The €275.4 billion National Development Plan (2026–2035) is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to deliver and future-proof critical infrastructure. But delivery lags remain, with planning and procurement processes impacting progress. Multi-annual budgeting would unlock the ability to manage large-scale projects effectively, while a central coordinating body with clear accountability could cut through delays.
What is needed now is the clarity of purpose that Ireland had in the 1990s, when a national motorway network was delivered as part of a clear vision to connect the country. Today’s equivalent could be a vision for 2030 that embeds resilience into energy, digital, transport, healthcare and climate adaptation systems, with projects being evaluated not just on cost and timelines but on their contribution to national security and competitiveness.
Strategic priorities for the decade ahead
- Strengthen essential infrastructure. Ireland needs to reinforce underground electricity lines, secure interconnectors, diversify energy sources and harden data networks. These steps reduce exposure to single points of failure and underpin both business continuity and investor confidence.
- Accelerate cyber and advanced technology investment. This means going beyond traditional IT security to include automation, artificial intelligence, autonomous devices and drones, ensuring that Ireland’s Defence Forces and service industries are equipped to anticipate and counter emerging threats.
- Leverage EU and global partnerships. Ireland can amplify its capabilities by drawing on collective European defence and security initiatives, and by forging targeted bilateral partnerships to expand maritime and cyber resilience while scaling domestic talent.
- Enable private sector collaboration. Indigenous firms in surveillance, data and security offer world-class expertise. Creating formal partnerships and procurement pathways will allow their rapid integration into national resilience planning.
- Implement multi-year infrastructure budgeting. Long-term funding certainty is essential to align Ireland’s ambition with delivery, helping to manage major projects efficiently and avoid stop-start cycles that weaken resilience.
- Establish national resilience leadership. Elevating accountability to the highest level of government would ensure clear ownership, coordination across departments, and prioritisation of resilience as a strategic national asset.
Summary
Ireland has the resources, talent and the financial capacity to deliver on resilience. Converting this potential into a secure and competitive future demands urgency, co-ordination and leadership.
