The close working relationship between myself, the Secretary General and the Chief of Staff is a key ingredient to the effective management of all aspects of defence and one upon which I put particular emphasis. In this context, the Secretary General and the Chief of Staff have access to me individually and jointly in the conduct of their respective roles.
In the normal course of the business of the Department of Defence, I meet with the Secretary General and Chief of Staff in a variety of configurations, including trilaterally and, on occasion, by way of formal meetings attended by members of the Department's Management Board and the General Staff. These meetings are convened as necessary to oversee the broad range of security and defence matters having regard to the prioritised programme of work.