Thread by @stevenconlon

A number of elements in this are refreshing to hear acknowledged by the @DF_COS - I am sure there’s a lot more topics he wished to cover. Whilst the military are aware of the threats, our politicians are slightly aware our civil service is in utter denial.
thetimes.co.uk/article/1e2998…

The Dept of Defence needs actual experts. The Dept of Taoiseach and the NSAC too. The NCSC needs strategists not just code warriors.
Key gov depts such as comms, agriculture and Health should have designated Defence Liaison SMEs too who can work towards…

Integrating and enhancing the national security strategy whenever it sees the light of day.
We need a whole of gov approach to national security.

I hope we see more of this type of honest assessment from the @DF_COS, it’s needed because we need to create a cultural awareness and discourse in Irish society on national security and defence matters. Journalists like @JohnMooneyIRL have done excellent work to date

So too have private individuals and enterprises who are working to enhance the security of the country they love.

When @RivadaNetworks submitted to the National Security strategy we stressed the importance of building this culture within gov and society and working towards understanding what we valued and wished to protect, before we offered our opinion on anything else.

We offered some suggestions. But we expressed concern that the NSS was being developed before the foundations had been set. Let’s hope we were listened to. Our submission was based on the experience of those who have worked in this space and have seen the pitfalls we can avoid.