Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I will get the Deputy a full update on it and have it addressed directly to him.

Regarding the gap analysis, I said earlier that there is a project that was in the 2015 White Paper. I have brought forward that project and a military and civil team will be working on it shortly. Now that we are dealing with the Public Service Pay Commission, the team has identified a number of the gaps in the data and so on, so the work that has been done on the pay commission will be able to work directly into the gap analysis. The largest gaps are in the junior ranks, specifically the ranks of captain, lieutenant and sub-lieutenant. The reason I brought in the biggest cadet classes in 2016 and 2017 - I hope to do so again in 2018 - as well as commissions from the ranks, is to address the gaps within the officer corps.

Regarding the RACO budget issue, RACO has been in conversation with officials from my Department, who have subsequently been in contact with and, I understand, met officials from the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform on this issue. I have written to the Minister, Deputy Donohoe, about this issue as well. This will not affect officers straight away. I recognise that it is a significant issue. It will not affect us for the next three to four years but it will be an issue down the line because of the retirement age for members of the Defence Forces. This is being worked on.

Deputy Chambers spoke about Brexit. We have an assistant secretary - as a matter of fact, the assistant secretary who is with me today - who is responsible for Brexit within the Department of Defence and who attends all the meetings in this regard. I will not say we have a full Brexit team but we have personnel within the Department who are working on this with the Departments of the Taoiseach and Foreign Affairs and Trade and other Departments. As the Deputy will understand, security on the Border and so on is a matter for An Garda Síochána. We will, under aid to the civil power, provide assistance into the future, as we did in the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s - indeed, as we have always done.

Deputy Chambers also spoke about cybersecurity. A cybersecurity strategy is being drawn up my colleague, the Minister, Deputy Naughten, in the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment. This is a matter for Cabinet committee F as well, but there are members of the Defence Forces who are based in the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment and who work on cybersecurity. As a matter of fact, we have members of the Defence Forces who went overseas only recently to work on cybersecurity with members of An Garda Síochána and members of the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment.

Regarding the Fine Gael MEPs' discussion document - I am glad the Deputy called it a discussion document - I of course welcome debate on absolutely anything, like the debate we are having today. Stimulating debate and discussion is very good. I might not agree with everything in the document but that is a matter for the MEPs. In any position I take, including at European Council level, the number one priority is the policies set out within our own State, Ireland's own defence policy. I will not deviate from that. Whether the triple lock, neutrality or whatever else, any decision we make will be based on taking all these matters into account.