IRELAND IS TO sign up to a new EU initiative that supercharges military equipment purchases as Europe launches a huge drive to rearm, the Tánaiste has announced. 

Simon Harris, who is also Minister for Defence and Foreign Affairs and Trade, made the announcement this morning. 

The EU, in its recent White Paper on Defence, has set out a plan to supercharge the European defence industry as countries across the Union rearm. Part of that plan is to ensure that countries like Ireland focus on purchasing from the arms industry of fellow member states.

In practice, it will be much faster now for Ireland to acquire specific equipment in areas prioritised by the Defence Forces, in some cases up to two years quicker than under the current procurement rules.

The EU instrument called Security Action for Europe (SAFE) is an EU initiative intended to help member states focus on priority areas and address capability gaps.

There have been some frustrations in the Irish Defence sector at the apparent slow pace of procurement but the Department of Defence believes that this initiative could quicken the pace of purchases by up to two years in some cases.  

This is achieved through engaging in joint acquisitions including ammunition, artillery systems and infantry equipment. Other areas such as critical infrastructure and cyber protections, air defence systems as well as drone and anti-drone tech.

There is also a part of SAFE which will make a €150 billion capital pot available to member states which can be drawn down in low interest, long term loans.

As reported previously by The Journal Ireland had engaged in so-called Government-to-Government bilateral engagements but this is a more formal and more effective version of that.  

The Tánaiste said that he is “steadfast” in his commitment to get Ireland up to the standard of other nations and that he will move through the initial agreed Level of Ambition Two by 2028 and onto Level of Ambition Three. 

This is criteria set out in the Commission on the Defence Forces which identified key failings in Ireland military capabilities. 

“Availing of the possibilities available under the SAFE Regulation will allow Ireland to realise this ambition more quickly and more efficiently.

“I am determined to provide for the development of a full spectrum of Defence Force Capabilities that will bring Ireland in line with other similar-sized European countries.

“I have agreed, therefore, that the Department of Defence should leverage the common procurement opportunities offered under the SAFE (Security Action for Europe) Regulation as much as possible to progress delivery of Ireland’s defence capabilities needs as quickly as possible,” he said. 

SAFE has an element which is a new EU financial instrument which will provide financial assistance to Member States to support their urgent public investments in defence industrial production, aiming to increase production capacity, improve the availability of defence products, and address capability gaps.

The Regulation provides, amongst other things, for existing framework agreements or contracts held by Member States to be modified to add other Member States’ requirements providing certain eligibility conditions are met.

The regulation focuses on common procurement initiatives and associations with Ukraine’s defence industry, ultimately strengthening the EU’s overall defence readiness.

The SAFE instrument will support Member States wishing to invest in defence industrial production through common procurement, focusing on priority capabilities.