Charles Flanagan (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister. I also thank the officials in the Department of Defence, both those present and those engaged in the provision of information and briefing to our committee. I acknowledge the appreciation of our members for that. It is important to us. I also join with the Minister in acknowledging the role of the Defence Forces and the Department of Defence in the Covid-19 pandemic over the past two years, involving our Defence Forces personnel, members of the Reserve Defence Force, the Civil Defence volunteers and officials and personnel in the Minister's Department.

I now call on members to put questions on Vote 36 dealing with defence policy and the matter of support for the capability of military operation military capability operational outputs. I will now give the floor to members.