Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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132. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence if he will report on the nomination of Chief of Staff of the Defence Forces to the position of Chair of the European Union Military Committee; the implications of the Chief of Staff being successfully elected, including with regard to support staff; when the election is due to be held and the duration of the term; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12080/24]

Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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133. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence if he will report on the work of the European Union Military Council; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12081/24]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 132 and 133 together.

The European Union Military Committee (EUMC) is the highest military body within the EU. It is composed of the Chiefs of Defence (CHODs) of the EU's Member States who, on a day to day basis, are represented in Brussels by the Military Representatives from the Permanent Representations of the Member States to the EU.

The EUMC operates as a consensus based collective, with the Chair bringing together the views of Member States and representing these to the European External Action Service (EEAS), the High Representative for Foreign and Security Policy/Vice President of the Commission (HRVP) and other relevant institutions, including the European Defence Agency (EDA). The EUMC provides the Political and Security Committee (PSC) with advice and recommendations on all military matters including on all aspects of the planning/operation of the CSDP operations. (The PSC comprises Ambassadors from all 27 member States, who deal with all issues relating to the EU Common Foreign and Security Policy and the Common Security and Defence Policy.) It also provides advice on EU military capability requirements to undertake CSDP operations and on military capability development requirements within the framework of the European Defence Agency (EDA).

The current Chair of the EUMC (C/EUMC), Gen. Robert Brieger from Austria, will complete his period in office in May 2025, and the Government agreed to nominate Lt. General Clancy as Ireland’s candidate for the post, to be considered for election alongside candidates from other EU countries. This will be the second time that Ireland has nominated a Chair of the EUMC, following the previous unsuccessful nomination of Vice Admiral Mark Mellet, and demonstrates Ireland’s commitment to the EU at this important time, particularly in light of the more volatile security and defence environment resulting from Russia’s ongoing aggression against Ukraine. A number of candidates from neutral, non-aligned countries have held the Chair of this Committee over the years.

Should the Chief of Staff be successful in being elected as Chair of the EUMC, a number of Defence Forces personnel would be deployed as support staff in the Office of the C/EUMC in Brussels. The exact numbers and ranks involved have yet to be determined. In addition, Lt. General Clancy who is currently a three star general would be promoted on a temporary basis to a four star general for the three year period of the appointment.

The vote for next Chair of the EUMC will take place on the 15th May 2024. On the basis of that vote, the Chair is then appointed by the European Council and the newly elected Chair will take up formal appointment from May 2025.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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My priority as Minister for Defence is to ensure that the operational capability of the Army, Air Corps and Naval Service is maintained and developed. This is to enable the Defence Forces to carry out the roles assigned by Government. Equipment priorities for the Army, Air Corps and Naval Service are considered in the context of the established capability development and Equipment Development Planning (EDP) processes.

Further additions to the EDP are currently under consideration, including in the context of the Government’s decision to move to a higher level of ambition, known as LOA2, and in light of specific recommendations, associated with a move to LOA2, made in the report of the Commission on the Defence Forces last year.

Work on capital investment in aircraft continues, a contract with Airbus has been placed at a cost of €57 million excluding VAT for a military transport aircraft for the Defence Forces. The Airbus C295W aircraft is highly versatile and will provide a dedicated asset to support the Defence Forces military airlift transport requirements and provide a wide contingent capability.

The aircraft will enable the Air Corps to provide a wide range of services including logistics support and transport of troops and equipment, medical evacuation and air ambulance, Special Operations Forces operations and a general utility role. Delivery of this aircraft is expected in 2025. In addition, a competitive process to acquire a new mid sized aircraft for Ministerial Air Transport has been published on the Official Journal of the European Union platform.

The programme for the supply of two C295 Maritime Patrol Aircraft has now been completed, following the delivery of the first aircraft in June and the second last month. Projects for other Air Corps capabilities will be considered in the context of overall capability development and available funding in accordance with the planning processes.

The two Inshore Patrol Vessels, purchased from New Zealand to replace LÉ Orla and LÉ Ciara, are expected to become fully operational during 2024 following a comprehensive programme of works, including crew familiarisation and training. Marine advisors have been appointed by my Department to support the procurement of a Multi-Role Vessel (MRV), as provided for in the Government's National Development Plan, and work is progressing in line with the steps in the Public Spending Code. Projects for other Naval Service capabilities will be considered in the context of overall capability development and available funding in accordance with established planning processes.

Projects for the Army are being considered in the context of capability development and available funding against the backdrop of the overall Equipment Development Plan process. There has been significant investment in recent years in the armoured fleet of vehicles with the enhancement of force protection and mobility with the mid-life refit of the MOWAG Piranha III vehicles project nearing completion and the delivery of Armoured Utility Vehicles. These projects have seen the integration of cutting edge technology and equipment into the vehicles. Technology is an enabler of modern military forces. A framework agreement for the supply of a Software Defined Radio system to the Defence Forces has recently been awarded. This complex project has been designed to meet the Defence Forces' requirements and to incorporate systems and equipment platforms, it will support the joint common operational picture.

The Defence allocation is determined within an overarching budgetary framework which encompasses existing NDP multi-annual capital allocations and remains cognisant of the level of resources available, commensurate with defence policy requirements. It is within this context that the Estimates 2024 discussions took place with the Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery, and Reform, to include full consideration of Defence capital investment priorities for 2024 and beyond. The Department of Defence has received a capital allocation of €176 million in Budget 2024.

This is following Government approval for a move over a six-year period to a level of Defence Forces’ capability equivalent to ‘Level of Ambition 2’ (LOA2), as set out in the capability framework devised by the Commission on Defence Forces, which will entail funding increases to reach a Defence budget of approximately €1.5 billion (at January 2022 prices) by 2028 through the annual Estimates.

This level of capital funding will allow a phased planned programme of sustained equipment and infrastructural development across the Army, Air Corps and Naval Service as identified and prioritised in the Defence White Paper and the Report of the Commission, while building on the significant investment programme over recent years.