The centre is intended to pool the work of the various intelligence services and ministries and to assume analysis and coordination functions – all on the basis of a national security strategy.

The government published an implementation plan for the CoFPI report in December 2018.

The renamed National Security Analysis Center was established in 2019 and a director was appointed in July of the same year.

A public consultation on the National Security Strategy for 2020-2025 began in December 2019 and the strategy is expected to be published towards the end of 2021.

Since 2022, the Department of the Taoiseach has cited the impact of Covid and international security developments as reasons for delaying publication.

To the question of Irish Examiner At the time of the strategy’s release, the ministry said: “In addition to its other responsibilities, the National Security Analysis Centre coordinates ongoing work to develop a national security strategy, drawing on input from a range of relevant stakeholders.”

The continued lack of a national security strategy coincided with a crippling cyberattack on the HSE by a Russian gang, the presence of Russian naval vessels off Irish-controlled waters and growing concerns about the security of undersea digital cables and energy pipelines.

Rise of the extreme right

There has also been a rise of the far right at home and associated violence, including threats against Irish politicians including Taoiseach Simon Harris, the first suspected Islamist attack in the country and related concerns about radicalisation and disinformation on social media.

Professor Ben Tonra, from the School of Politics and International Relations at the University of Ireland (UCD), said: “At a time when Ireland is facing increasing domestic terrorism and a growing threat from abroad, it is beyond shocking that the State continues to operate with a national security infrastructure that is not fit for purpose.

“The government no longer even offers an explanation for the lack of a national security strategy, promised in 2019 and due to be ‘near completion’ in 2021. This represents a failure of public policy-making of serious proportions and epic proportions.”

Professor Andrew Cottey of UCC’s Department of Government and Politics said: “Ireland is an outsider among European states in that it does not have a formal national security strategy document.

At a time when Ireland faces real threats – from cybersecurity to intelligence and subversion, as well as military activity by Russia and other foreign states – it is long past time for the Government to implement such a strategy.

He added: “Given the upcoming elections, this should certainly be a priority for the next government.”

The CoFPI also recommended “strengthening” the Garda’s security and intelligence work, particularly through a “dedicated budget”.

It also said the department (now renamed the Garda National Crime and Security Intelligence Service) must be able to recruit expertise in analytics, technology and law “directly and quickly”.

Given the serious threat to national security, these issues need to be addressed “urgently,” it said.

The Irish Examiner believes that there have been little or no significant improvements to the service and that the budget allocated to it no longer appears to be on the agenda.

There has been no direct recruitment and this appears to be linked to wider employment issues relating to the status of officers within An Garda Síochána.