Mr Harris has warned this may change, however. He said his priority to date has been to maximise the amount of defence spending from existing Government funds but that this may change. Mr Harris sought nearly €3.4 billion between 2026 and 2030 for capital defence spending to facilitate key strategic projects including military radar, ships and armoured vehicles. It is understood Mr Harris believes Safe loans will likely be needed to bring this figure up to the required amount to meet Government commitments on defence. Speaking in the Dáil, Mr Harris said renewed EU investment in defence also provides potential benefits for Irish businesses.

Source: The Irish Times November 10, 2025 15:01 UTC