A national risk assessment has not been published by Government for more than two years despite its last report emphasising that new risks were emerging from global insecurity, terrorism and hybrid threats.
The report has been published annually by the Government each September since 2014, aside from a period disrupted by the Covid-19 pandemic.
No report was published in September 2025, however, and neither was a report published in September 2026.
The report, produced by the Department of An Taoiseach, identifies most significant strategic and natural risks facing the State.
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The 2024 report identified 24 strategic risks across five categories: geopolitical and global risks; economic risks (including infrastructure deficits and more than concentration in particular sectors); societal risk, especially housing; environmental risk, especially climate change; as well as technological risks, particularly from artificial intelligence.
The absence of a new assessment comes amid a period where there are wars in Ukraine and in the Middle East and where energy costs have soared throughout the EU. There is also a recognition of the increased vulnerability of communications and energy infrastructure.
In September, Cabinet decided it would review the current national risk assessment to see if it adequately captured all the risks facing the State. The Government has now proposed a public consultation, and has invited Oireachtas parties to make submissions. It also intends to set up an interdepartmental group to oversee the development of an updated report.
It has promised that a finalised National Strategic Risk Assessment 2026 will be published by the end of the year.
In reply to parliamentary questions, Taoiseach Micheál Martin has insisted that the most recent assessment from 2024 remains valid.
Green Party leader Roderic O’Gorman, who has followed the issue, has criticised the delay in updating the assessment, given the emergence of new forms of threat in recent years.
He said the delay in publishing what is meant to be an annual report was not acceptable.
“The profile of risk that Ireland faces has continued to change. Examples include the appearance of drones in our skies on the past year. There is also the impact of the second cost of living spike caused by our dependence on fossil fuels,” he said.
“All of these things need to be understood and assessed by Government. And yet, the Government has now failed to publish a risk assessment for two years in a row.”
He said that obligations laid out for Government in legislation were being ignored, in the same way as climate change legislation was being ignored.
“Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael see no benefit in long-term planning. Everything is in the here and now.
“The idea of taking a step back, looking at the wider situation, just seems to be too much work for them these days,” he said.
Among the other risks identified for Ireland in 2024 were potential infrastructure deficits, weakening competitiveness, pandemic risk, biodiversity loss, plus the effects of extreme weather.
