Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Perhaps one of the representatives of the Department will give an update on the working time directive, which I understand requires legislative measures to be introduced. I would like to get a timeframe for that.

Ms Sinnamon mentioned the high-level action plan approved last July. It has virtually been a year since then. At that point, the Government approved changes to be made over six years. I am always wary of action plans that extend over long periods. The Government's tendency is to back-load, especially the financial commitments. What often happens then, of course, is that there are competing demands when we get to the end of the process. Perhaps Ms Sinnamon or a representative of the Department could indicate whether moves are afoot to provide significantly for some of the capital investment commitments that will be required in 2024. In other words, I am asking if we will see these contained in this year's budget. This will very much be a statement of intent on the part of the Government. This is particularly the case when we are in a much-vaunted situation in respect of the Exchequer returns this year. It appears to me that now is the time to make some of these major investments that will be required, particularly ion terms of resources.

Regarding some of the reasons we need to have improved figures for recruitment and retention, one is to ensure the Defence Forces can do what we expect them to do. Will Ms Sinnamon outline what work has been undertaken at this stage concerning the Reserve Defence Force, RDF? I would describe the current status of the RDF as one of having critically low numbers. On the approach taken by the Government, one reason our Defence Forces have such an esteemed reputation across the world is due to the role they have played in UN missions specifically. I note that to engage in an EU battle group scenario, we essentially had to remove our troops from the UN Disengagement Observer Force, UNDOF, mission in the Golan Heights in Syria. That is a concern for me. In the March 2023 update, reference is made to an additional 20 missions or observer status missions in the context of permanent structured co-operation, PESCO. Can anybody provide information regarding what this might mean for other, existing UN-mandated missions the Defence Forces might be involved in and how our capacity to deal with all these competing challenges can be met with the current numbers of personnel in the Defence Forces?