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

A key priority for me as Minister for Defence is to ensure the capabilities of the Defence Forces are maintained, developed and enhanced to ensure the Defence Forces can carry out all of the roles assigned to them by the Government as set out in the White Paper on Defence.

Capability priorities for the Army, Air Corps and Naval Service are considered as part of the capability development planning processes, which include both a five-year equipment development plan and a built infrastructure programme. The equipment development plan recognises the need to maintain and upgrade military capabilities having regard to emerging priorities, operational requirements and changes in technology. This is an ongoing iterative process.

Following the report of the Commission on the Defence Forces in 2022, which included a wide range of recommendations relating to capabilities and funding, the Government approved a move to level of ambition, LOA, 2 as set out in the capability framework devised by the commission. Allied to this, one of the recommendations made by the commission provided for the development of anti-drone or counter unmanned aircraft systems, UAS, capabilities. This recommendation was accepted in principle in the subsequent high-level action plan published last July following the Government's consideration of the commission's report. As a result, a civil-military working group on UAS detection and counter-UAS technology has recently been established. The working group has commenced a study of national and international best practice and regulatory requirements to see how UAS detection and counter-UAS technology can best be deployed in the context of enhancing the capacity of the Defence Forces to carry out all of the roles assigned to it by Government. Building on current and previous staff studies in this area, the working group will make recommendations on the development of the Defence Forces capability and capacity in this area.

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