Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 to 4, inclusive, together.

The Government approved a high-level action plan for the report of the Commission on the Defence Forces in July 2022. The report sets out the initial implementation and oversight structures, comprising a high-level steering board, an independently chaired implementation oversight group and an implementation management office.

The high-level steering board is chaired by the Secretary General of my Department and the membership comprises the Chief of Staff of the Defence Forces, the Secretaries General of the Departments of Defence, Justice, Foreign Affairs, Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform and Environment, Climate and Communications, and the independent chair of the implementation oversight group. The purpose of the steering board is to steer the implementation oversight group and to provide guidance where necessary, as well as acting as a clearing house for any issues that may arise in the implementation of the commission’s recommendations. The steering board held its first meeting on 1 March, at which it received a detailed update on the progress made to date with the implementation of the high-level action plan.

The implementation oversight group has met four times to date and is overseeing and driving the implementation of the recommendations of the commission. The civil-military implementation management office, which was established last year, is in the advanced stages of developing a detailed implementation plan under the stewardship of the implementation oversight group.

A comprehensive update on the high-level action plan for the report of the Commission on the Defence Forces was published on 23 March. It showed 80% completion of the 38 early actions, with substantial progress made on the remainder. It provides solid building blocks for the detailed implementation plan up to 2028.

Separately, following the publication of the report of the independent review group on dignity and equality issues in the Defence Forces on 28 March 2023, the Government established an external oversight body for the Defence Forces. This new body will play a central role in driving a necessary culture change throughout the Defence Forces and in increasing transparency and accountability.

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