Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

On the Deputy's general comments, I appreciate the positive observations on patrol duty allowance. The starting pay, particularly for those who have less than three years of service, is quite a dramatic uplift, as the Deputy describes it. The C-295 will be coming on target to be delivered to us in 2025. The ongoing issue would be recruitment and retention.

On the retirement front, we have had a Cabinet sub-committee meeting on this issue around all the services. The Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform, Deputy Donohoe, will be making new proposals to Cabinet shortly on the retirement age issue. I will also change the starting age significantly upwards. I agree 100% with the Deputy on that. The world has changed dramatically as regards fitness and lifespan. People have the capacity to join later in life. People aged 50 are doing Ironman and all sorts of challenges. The idea of age being a discriminator is no longer applicable. There are 40-year-olds who are fitter than 20-year-olds. Deputy Stanton is very clear about that.

I will look at the lateral transfer programme. I am sure there are no objections to people transferring, but I will see whether there is an active policy to encourage people to join our forces. I will discuss that with the military leadership.

Deputy Brendan Smith has been in touch regarding Cavan Barracks. We will look at that issue but the building could have been out of use for quite some time now and there would be significant capital costs. It would have to fit into the reorganisation and structural reform of the Defence Forces, which is under way.

I welcome the Deputy's comments on European security defence policy and PESCO. Some of the observations and commentary on PESCO have been ridiculous. The level of participation by the country is low or has been low historically. We are observers on quite a lot of missions but, up to recently, were participants in just a few. I am saying to our people that we should participate much more and be very much a part of it because we learn from such projects, particularly in the areas of maritime security, cybersecurity and other areas. It also helps interoperability with other European militaries with which we might be serving on UN peacekeeping missions. The Deputy's point to the effect that we are involved in a range of European Union programmes, which involve sharing of knowledge, participation in education programmes and so on, is very well made. The same should apply in security and defence policy. We have had an extraordinary atmosphere or environment in Ireland whereby any talk of these things is taboo or not encouraged. People are stigmatised very quickly if they mention any of these things. We need to change that approach.

The two CASA CN-235s will be disposed of. They are surplus to requirements. Independent experts have been retained to value the aircraft to inform the disposal process. That will come to me when all options have been bottomed out.

The inshore patrol vessels are undergoing a programme of work at the naval base. They are expected to become operational in 2024 with crew familiarisation and training. We have to do the naming and commissioning ceremonies. The Deputy was correct in saying that a forward base in Dún Laoghaire or elsewhere in Dublin is being seriously considered. We need a Dublin presence, certainly in a naval situation. Some 1.5 million people are living in Dublin. We need to be able to open up access for people to join the navy. To have young people see it in operation in their locality matters. One of the downsides of barracks closing is the loss of military tradition in recruitment. I am very conscious of that.

Marine advisers were appointed following a public tender competition for a multi-role vessel, MRV. Work is now under way that will lead to a public tender competition to cover the supply of the MRV in due course; the Deputy did not raise that matter but I let him know about it for completeness. That will be subject to availability of funding within the defence capital. Prior to procurement, I will assess where we are as regards naval strength as this purchase will be a significant investment commitment when we eventually get there. We are, however, progressing the procurement.

My impassioned plea regarding the houses in the Curragh turned out to be an expensive plea but progress is under way. I have directed that we just go and get the job done. It will be costly to restore those houses, some of which are listed, but it is the right thing to do.