Government must place national security analysis unit on a statutory footing

Prof Donncha O’Connell said the Commission on the Future of Policing in Ireland wanted to address gaps in An Garda Síochána’s security capacity, particularly around cybersecurity.

Putting the State’s national security analysis unit on a legal basis “should be given priority”, almost four years after a Government-appointed commission recommended the unit be immediately established to address gaps in the country’s intelligence apparatus.

The call from Professor Donncha O’Connell, a member of the now-defunct Commission on the Future of Policing in Ireland (CFPI), comes amid a significantly worsened global security situation and growing concerns of threats to Ireland.