Tánaiste Micheál Martin has defended his decision to convene the Government's Consultative Forum on International Security after criticism from President Michael D Higgins, who said Ireland is "playing with fire" during a dangerous period of "drift" in foreign policy.
The President has also warned about moving away from Ireland's traditional policy of "positive neutrality".
The forum meets this week to discuss neutrality and other issues.
In an interview with the Business Post, President Higgins highlighted the composition of the panels at the forum saying they include "the admirals, the generals, the air force, the rest of it" as well as "the formerly neutral countries who are now joining NATO."
He also referred to the chair of the forum - Louise Richardson - as a person "with a very large DBE - Dame of the British Empire", adding that it was grand but he could have come up with a few speakers himself.
The forum will meet in Cork, Galway and Dublin from next Thursday.
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It has been convened by Mr Martin, who has said a discussion on Ireland's security needs is necessary given the changing geopolitical situation in the wake of the war in Ukraine.
In a statement this afternoon, Mr Martin said the forum is not a binary discussion on neutrality and that the Government has been clear that it does not intend to change Ireland's policy of military neutrality.
He said that every country in Europe has re-examined security policy the wake of the war in Ukraine and Ireland is no different.
"To shy away from doing so or to do so behind closed doors would have been a fundamental mistake and an abrogation of responsibility."
Mr Martin also defended the composition of the panels at the forum as being drawn from "a wide range of backgrounds and with a variety of expertise and experience, including in peacekeeping, peacebuilding, arms control and disarmament and conflict resolution internationally, as well as in the fields of cyber security, disinformation, maritime security and critical infrastructure".
People Before Profit has criticised the forum as "a stitch-up" with a bias towards pro-NATO speakers.
The President also questioned the timing of more investment in the Defence Forces ahead of reform.
'Unnecessary, unfair and disappointing' - Flanagan
Fine Gael TD and former Minister for Foreign Affairs Charlie Flanagan has said that President Higgins' remarks on Louise Richardson were "unnecessary, unfair and disappointing".
In a tweet, Mr Flanagan said that as well as being the first woman head of Oxford University, Ms Richardson is a most distinguished Irish woman with a long academic interest in security.
Fine Gael TD Neale Richmond said that the comments came close to the line but did not cross it.
Speaking on RTÉ's The Week in Politics, the Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment said that the criticism was "disappointing" and urged people to engage in the consultative forum.
Social Democrats TD Gary Gannon said there is a genuine fear that there is a drift towards NATO and he said many of the speakers at the forum are "pro-NATO".
The deputy chair of the Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs said the President has comments of this nature before and they did not cross a line.
Barry Cowen said the Government does not intend to change policy on military neutrality and that the issue of neutrality is a conversation for everyone.
Speaking on RTÉ's This Week, he said that being neutral has served Ireland well, but there are challenges now in relation to the war in Ukraine, as well as cybersecurity and artificial intelligence.
Minister for Justice Helen McEntee said President Higgins "knows what the boundaries are" in relation to commenting on Government policy.
Ms McEntee said the President "has clearly expressed his views" and that "he's expressed his view on many things before."
Speaking on Newstalk, she said "there are many who would agree with him and there are many who would disagree."
Asked it was appropriate for the President to make such an intervention, Minister McEntee said: "I'm not going to get into a debate on that."
On the President's comments on the composition of the panels at forum, she said "my understanding is that all embassies have been invited" and said that would include neutral countries like Austria, Malta and Cyprus.
Ms McEntee said the consultative forum is "bringing together 900 plus experts in this space and representatives from countries across the world" to look at Ireland’s policy.
She said: "We live in a changing world, we have war happening on the edge of Europe and while we might be furthest away from what's happening at the moment, that doesn't leave us immune to any threats so I think we all want to discuss what are our capabilities, how do we defend ourselves."
Additional reporting: Fergal O'Brien
