Government's €1.2m spend on Nato liaison office branded 'a waste of public money'

Majority of spending on Brussels office was on renovation and refurbishment in 2020, with a total of €814,655 spent

Defence and Foreign Affairs Minister Micheál Martin said the liaison office was used as part of Ireland’s relationship with Nato through the Partnership for Peace programme. Picture: Gareth Chaney/Collins 

The Government has spent almost €1.2m on Ireland’s Nato liaison office in Brussels in the last three years, including more than €800,000 on refurbishments in 2020.

In total, the Department of Foreign Affairs and the Department of Defence have collectively spent €1,197,861 on Ireland’s office at the defence alliance’s headquarters in Belgium over the last three years.

The majority of that spending was on a renovation and refurbishment of the liaison office in 2020, with a total of €814,655 being spent.

The data, released to Sinn Féin’s Matt Carthy via a parliamentary question, shows the remaining €383,206 was spent on rent and phone costs, which are payable directly to Nato.

Defence and Foreign Affairs Minister Micheál Martin said the liaison office was used as part of Ireland’s relationship with Nato through the Partnership for Peace (PfP) programme.

Peacekeeping missions

Ireland has been a member of the programme since 1999, with a primary focus on improving the capacity of the Defence Forces to participate in international peacekeeping missions.

As part of PfP, Ireland has currently deployed forces for peacekeeping in Kosovo as part of the Kosovo Force (KFor).

In a statement, the Department of Foreign Affairs said: “Over the last two decades, Ireland’s participation in PfP has been of significant importance in the development of the peacekeeping capabilities of our Defence Forces and their interoperability with other peacekeeping contributing nations. 

“Our partnership with Nato also offers opportunities to enhance our cooperation in other areas, including cyber and hybrid, enhancing resilience, and improved maritime situational awareness.” 

In total, there are eight staff assigned to the office, with five posted there on a full-time basis. The remaining three are also assigned to the Permanent Representation of Ireland to the European Union.

Five permanent staff

Two of the five permanent staff are from the Department of Foreign Affairs, two are from the Defence Forces, while the remaining staff member is from the Department of Defence.

There are also two Irish officials, from the Department of Foreign Affairs and the Defence Forces, seconded to the Nato international staff.

Reacting to the figures, People Before Profit TD Paul Murphy said  Ireland should not be spending any money on a Nato liaison office.

“I think it is a waste of public money,” Mr Murphy said, adding the amount of money being spent was “worrying”.

He said the high spend on the office space was an example of how the Government were “skirting the definition” of neutrality.

There has previously been criticism of the Government over its relationship with Nato with TDs flagging concerns over the makeup of a forum on foreign policy.

However, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has said Ireland has “no hidden agenda” to join the military alliance or reject neutrality.