Ireland's Changing Security Landscape: Lessons from Season 1

Over the past three months, #STANDEASY has explored the major defence and security challenges shaping Ireland's strategic environment through conversations with historians, academics, former senior military officers, former intelligence professionals, legal scholars and national security experts.

In this special Season 1 finale, Dr Ed Burke returns to the podcast to step back from the individual interviews and examine the recurring themes that emerged throughout the series.

Together, we discuss:

• the absence of a National Security Strategy
• neutrality: identity versus policy
• geography: from shield to liability
• who is responsible for national security
• capability gaps and strategic resilience
• operating in the grey zone
• whether Ireland will only act after a strategic shock

Rather than revisiting previous episodes, this discussion explores what these conversations collectively tell us about Ireland's changing security landscape, and where the State may need to adapt in the years ahead.

This episode concludes Season 1 of STANDEASY.

A sincere thank you to all of our guests for generously sharing their expertise throughout the season, and to you, our listeners, for your support, encouragement and engagement.

STANDEASY will return in October with a new season, new guests and more discussions exploring defence, security and Ireland's place in an increasingly complex world.

If you're new to STANDEASY, the complete Season 1 Threats Series is now available on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.