Taoiseach assures Europe Ireland is already increasing defence spending

Mr Martin is travelling to Paris for the AI summit on Tuesday where US Vice President JD Vance is a keynote speaker

Taoiseach Micheál Martin (left) meets the President of European Parliament (EP) Roberta Metsola (right) in Brussels. Photo: Dursun Aydemir/Anadolu via Getty Images

Ireland is already on a program of increased expenditure of defence and security amid increasing security threats from Russia, the Taoiseach has said.

Micheál Martin was in Brussels meeting with President of the European Council, Antonio Costa, where he discussed the issue of European Security and Defence, EU-UK relations and Ireland taking over the presidency of the European Council in July 2026.