Malcolm Noonan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

My dad served in the Irish Defence Forces for some 37 years, during which time he served three tours of duty in the Congo in one of the earliest Irish overseas missions. In 1960, they landed in Lagos in bull's wool uniform and heavy black boots. They did not have much except for their small arms weapons and very little armour. They did, however, have their Irish spirit and the ability to get on with everything and everyone, no matter the environment. I am proud of my father's service. I am proud that I grew up in the married quarters of a military barracks. I am also proud of the Defence Forces today, with almost 700 personnel overseas in 13 missions, 12 countries and one on sea. The Covid emergency has only highlighted their role here today in Ireland in contingency response. They never fail to front up in any emergency when asked, with their many capabilities including engineering, logistics, transport, cyber and communications, medical, air and maritime. This is the core of my few words today. While the core role of the Defence Forces is the defence of the State, its citizens and interests, including our economy, we must never forget their role in national resilience and emergency management.

The Irish Defence Forces have become internationally respected as an impartial peacekeeping force, a force for good in fragile states and in places of conflict. The commission report highlights a need to invest in military capability to bolster Ireland’s security and consideration of the greatest threat to global security, that is, climate change and biodiversity loss.

In April of last year, the Minister, Deputy Darragh O'Brien, and I travelled to Killarney National Park following a devastating fire that destroyed species rich habitat, contaminated the water, destabilised carbon rich soils and released CO₂into the atmosphere. We were grateful to the Irish Air Corps for its support in controlling the fire. It took a huge effort to bring it under control. While the Killarney fire was raging, there were also multiple fires taking place in various locations across the country and there simply was not sufficient State or private air cover to deal with them. Over the past decade, we have witnessed record temperatures, record winter temperatures and increased frequency of extreme weather and flooding events, all of which are evidence pointing towards a changing climate.

Later this year, our Department will lead on legislating for marine protected areas to protect biodiversity and habitats around our coasts. Our climate preparedness should include the consideration of the multipurpose use of our Defence Forces, Navy and Air Corps for enhanced protection of our communities in the face of extreme weather events, wildfires and flooding, and in protecting the biodiversity of our territorial waters and coastal communities in the face of rising sea levels.

From my perspective, every piece of equipment we buy as a State should be dual purpose. Every troop-carrying helicopter can be used for firefighting and helping communities. Consider a strategic helicopter with airlift capability to lift our troops to major missions. The same aircraft can support the Department of Foreign Affairs in disaster relief in places such as Afghanistan but it can also support the HSE. Our Naval Service has a huge role to play in the future on our coastlines and in our seas, not just in defending the State against a military threat or criminality but in protecting, managing and monitoring our environment, ecology and economy. Our Army needs field hospitals, emergency bridging and flood relief capabilities. Our Civil Defence needs to be resourced. Every Government Department and agency should be consulted in defence and in particular in providing national resilience and contingency capabilities. We need to broaden our horizons beyond our land borders and into our seas and airspace.

Our Naval Service has performed heroics in the Mediterranean Sea in rescuing migrants, many of whom are fleeing the impacts, direct or indirect, of climate change. These humanitarian missions will need to continue and our Naval Service needs to be adequately equipped to carry out this vital work safely and effectively. This work is referenced in terms of strengthening capabilities towards deeper engagement in international peace and humanitarian missions.

I welcome reference in the report to the revitalisation of the Reserve Defence Force, RDF. I would like to see a role for the RDF in our collective actions on climate and biodiversity.

The review of the aid to civil power, ATCP, states that ATCP and aid to the civil authority, ATCA, should be subject to regular review for continued relevance and priority. Section 4.6, dealing with ATCPs, outlines the need for a whole-of-Government needs analysis to highlight trends and predict needs. Section 6.2 on capability development planning advocates the creation of a civil-military structure to embed capability development. These recommendations point towards a way forward in integrating this reform process within the Defence Forces with the wider needs of the State and the State’s assets, namely our land and water and the important ecosystem services they provide.

While issues of pay and conditions are outside the scope of this report, I, like others, am of the view that in order to build capacity within our Defence Forces and to attract young men and women who might be considering this as a career option it is vital that it is an attractive career option. I welcome the recommendations regarding gender equality and diversity in the report.

The commission report outlines the current threat and risk environment within the context of the Defence Forces designated roles. It states:

Versatility, flexibility, and resiliency will be required to adapt to change and to react, learn and recover from predicted as well as unpredicted threats and risks. Moreover, it places a high value on the ability to collaborate across service branches, government agencies, societal sectors, and/or national borders.

I can think of no more important sphere for such collaboration than in our battle to offset the worst impacts of climate change and biodiversity loss. In this context I fully support the Minister in his work to raise the capability of our Defence Forces and propose that all future planning should include a collaborative role for the Defence Forces in protecting people, land, sea and all of our natural resources.

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