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

I thank the Deputy for raising the question. In fairness, the Deputy has an eagle eye on equipment and opportunities for the Defence Forces.

My priority as Minister for Defence is to ensure that the operational capability of the Army, Air Corps and Naval Service is maintained and developed. This is to enable the Defence Forces to carry out the roles assigned by Government. Equipment priorities for the Army, Air Corps and Naval Service are considered in the context of the established capability development and equipment development planning processes.

The detailed implementation plan for the report of the Commission on the Defence Forces was published in November 2023. It builds on the publication of the commission report itself in February 2022, the high-level action plan in July 2022 and the early actions update published in March 2023. This plan sets out an ambitious programme of work to move to level of ambition 2, known as LOA2, by 2028 and the significant and fundamental change for the Defence Forces that will be delivered across the commission's recommendations.

The commission's recommendations for the move to LOA2 include the recommendation for an accelerated programme of naval vessel replacement, to ensure a balanced fleet of nine modern ships is reached by early in the next decade.

In this regard, marine advisers have been appointed to support the procurement of a multi-role vessel, MRV, to replace the now decommissioned flagship, LÉ Eithne. This procurement is being conducted in line with the Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform's new infrastructural guidelines, which have replaced the public spending code.

A prior information notice was published in the Official Journal of the European Union in January to advise the market of my Department's intention to run a tender competition to procure a MRV to replace the former flagship.

I remain committed to ensuring the Defence Forces, including the Naval Service, are equipped to carry out the roles assigned to them by Government.

See this speech in context