The Irish Government has allocated almost €4 billion for defence and justice capital spending over the next five years, representing massive increases in investment for both critical sectors under the updated National Development Plan.
Defence spending will receive €1.7 billion between 2026 and 2030, marking a dramatic 144% increase from the €697 million allocated in the previous five-year period. The Department of Justice will secure €2.18 billion, representing a 61% rise from its €1.35 billion allocation from 2021 to 2025.
The defence investment aligns with recommendations from the Commission on the Defence Forces, which called for increasing the annual defence budget from €1.1 billion in 2022 to €1.5 billion by 2028. Major acquisitions include three C295 surveillance aircraft, four modern helicopters, a primary radar system due in 2028, and a refit of 80 armoured personnel carriers.
The naval fleet will expand to nine ships by early next decade, though plans for an “air combat interceptor” mentioned in earlier documents remain unclear under the current investment level.
Justice Minister Jim O’Callaghan has prioritized addressing the prison overcrowding crisis, recently securing Cabinet approval to accelerate delivery of 960 additional prison spaces across facilities in Castlerea, Midlands, Wheatfield, and Mountjoy. The expanded justice budget also reflects the department’s growing responsibilities, including migration services and the recently transferred National Cyber Security Centre.