The Government has appointed its first ever defence attaches to Irish Embassies in Washington, London and Paris. 

A defence attache is a diplomatic representative at an embassy, who advises the Ambassador on military matters, as well as building connections with the host country’s armed forces. 

Ireland was previously an outlier among European nations for not appointing defence attaches to the capitals of major allies. 

However, the defence budget has been increased in recent years and the War in Ukraine has served to focus the minds of politicians across Europe on military matters. 

The Government has also ranked security as the third of its three pillars for the EU Presidency, with Eastern European member states especially worried about Moscow. 

On Newstalk Breakfast, former TD and army officer Cathal Berry said the appointments would boost military cooperation. 

“The Irish Defence Forces can engage directly then with the United States, with the French and with the UK militaries from a training, from an operations and crucially from an intelligence point of view as well, which is very important,” he explained. 

“There's ongoing sharing of intelligence and it's really important from Ireland's perspective because we have so few assets - we have underinvested in our defence forces for decades.

“So, if you only have a small number of assets, it's very important to like a naval ship or an air corps helicopter or aircraft to be at the right place at the right time to prevent something from happening. 

“So from an intelligence point of view, it's vitally important.”

Soldiers of the Irish Army section of the Defence Forces. Picture by: Eamonn Farrell/RollingNews.ie

Dr Berry continued that officials can “only get so much from emails or from phone calls”, which means a physical presence is vital to working relations. 

“Most people will be much more, I guess, more [happy] passing on information when they're physically in the room rather than relying on electronic communications, which can be compromised,” he said. 

“So, it's a very positive development.”

Minister for Defence Helen McEntee described the appointments as an “important moment in Irish defence diplomacy”. 

While Defence Forces Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Rossa Mulcahy said the attaches would “play a vital role in... advancing Ireland’s defence and security interests overseas.”

Main image: The arm patch of a soldier in the Irish Army. Picture: Andy Gibson / Alamy.