The Government has today published the National Risk Assessment – Draft List of Strategic Risksfor public consultation.
The consultation document outlines the proposed strategic economic, geopolitical, social, environmental, and technological risks facing Ireland over the short, medium, and long term. The drafted list of strategic risks has been created through a collaborative process with Government Departments and Agencies, building on previous National Risk Assessment exercises.
Speaking on the launch of the consultation, the Taoiseach, Micheál Martin, T.D., said:
“Recent developments have highlighted the importance and value of regular consideration of the strategic risks facing this country.
“Our world has changed since the last National Risk Assessment, resulting in evolving risks such as social cohesion, demographic change, and climate change, as well as the emergence of new possible risks, such as inflation, energy, and capacity constraints.
“This consultation document outlines the proposed strategic risks for inclusion in the 2023 iteration of the National Risk Assessment. I encourage members of the public to have their say in the consultation, to ensure we are considering the right issues, and potential risks.”
Stakeholders are asked to assess whether the draft risks identified accurately represent the major risks facing the country, whether there are any significant risks that should be added, or whether any of the proposed risks do not warrant inclusion.
On conclusion of this consultation, the proposed risks will be reviewed, with further consideration by Government Departments and agencies, ahead of finalisation of the National Risk Assessment 2023 – Overview of Strategic Risks.
The consultation document can be found here. Consultation inputs can be submitted to nra@taoiseach.gov.ie. The public consultation will be open until Friday the 17th of February 2023.
ENDS
Notes to Editor
First published in 2014, the National Risk Assessment provides an opportunity to identify and discuss significant risks that may arise for Ireland over the short, medium and long term. The most recent National Risk Assessment, covering 2021/22, was published in December 2021.
Since its inception, the National Risk Assessment has provided a systematic overview of national-level risks and has drawn attention, at an early stage, to the importance of phenomena such as the UK’s departure from the EU, housing shortages, as well as pandemics.
The National Risk Assessment aims to provide a systematic overview of strategic risks facing the country to serve as the basis for political and public discussion and deliberation about their implications.
The full list of proposed strategic risks for Ireland for 2023 are:
Geopolitical risks | Disruption of multilateral system Future direction of the European Union Ireland’s relationship, post-Brexit, with the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland Armed conflict, terrorism and hybrid threats |
Economic risks | Inflation Disruption to a secure and sustainable energy supply Ireland’s enterprise mix Changes to international trading relationships Public finances and the financial system Supply chain and capacity constraints |
Societal risks | Social cohesion Housing and sustainable development Migration and integration Demographic change Digital exclusion |
Environmental risks | Climate change Biodiversity loss Extreme weather events and other natural disasters Pandemics Antimicrobial resistance Food safety and Security |
Technological risks | Data flows, storage and security Disruptive technology Cybersecurity Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Threats |