The Defence Forces are so poorly resourced Ireland is currently “defenceless”, one of the country’s leading security experts has warned. 

Taoiseach Micheál Martin is currently in Germany for the annual Munich Security conference, where he said the Government would stick by its pledge to boost defence spending by a further €150 million a year by 2028. 

Mr Martin reiterated that Ireland would remain “militarily neutral” but that the State had a duty to defend itself against “new cyber and hybrid threats”. 

Members of the Defence forces on parade. Picture by: PA Archive/PA Images. 

Speaking to Newstalk security analysts Declan Power said Ireland needs to take defence more seriously. 

“Take the war in Gaza - we haven’t been neutral in that - and that’s to the desire of most Irish people that we’ve spoken up,” he said. 

“If you’re going to do that, you have a duty of care to your State and your society to make sure that your people and territory are as safe as you can make them. 

“We are not neutral, but we are defenceless - and that’s unconscionable and it’s not good enough.

“I’m suggesting we take a leadership role and start to knit together something that suits us.” 

Soldiers at the launch of the Defence Forces Annual Report in Cathal Brugha Barracks. Picture by: Alamy.com.

Mr Power said Russia already regards Ireland as a hostile nation and will treat the State as such. 

“Upping the spend on defence is not a belligerent act,” he said. 

“It’s not something that we should be worried about what Russia thinks about. 

“We would be fools to think that that would keep us safe. 

“It is delusional to the point of requiring psychiatric assistance for any Irish citizen to think at this point in time that Russia sees us as anything other than an integral part of a bloc of nations that it considers hostile.” 

Members of the Irish Defence Forces at the General Post Office. Picture by: Alamy.com. 

Opponents of increased defence spending believe Ireland have raised concern it is part of a long-term plan to become a member of NATO. 

People Before Profit have also described the idea that Russia might attack Ireland as a “bit of a red herring”.

Main image: Defence Forces Personnel outside the GPO. Picture by: Leah Farrell / © RollingNews.ie