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

I thank the Deputy, who has been strongly advocating for Athlone for this role for some time. The Commission on the Defence Forces was established on foot of a commitment in the programme for Government and the Government decision in December 2020, which also agreed its terms of reference and membership. The report was published on 9 February 2022.

The commission undertook a significant body of work, encompassing wide-ranging terms of reference. It recommended significant changes for the Defence Forces and defence provision. It covers high-level Defence Forces structures, defence capabilities, organisation, culture and human resources, the Reserve Defence Force and funding.

In July 2022, the Government approved a high-level action plan in response to the commission report. As part of this, approval was given for a move over a six-year period to a level of Defence Forces capability equivalent to level of ambition 2, as set out in the capability framework devised by the commission, which will entail funding increases to reach a defence budget of circa €1.5 billion, at January 2022 prices, by 2028 through the annual Estimates process.

There are a number of recommendations contained in the report which may impact on the structure of the Defence Forces, including that the structure of the Army be reviewed, and, in that context, the disposition of units across the Defence Forces may be considered. The recommendation that the structure of the Army be reviewed was identified as an early action in the high-level action plan.

No decisions on the future disposition or locations of Defence Forces formations, installations and personnel have been made at this time. In keeping with the recommendations of the Commission on the Defence Forces, military authorities have established an office of Army force design which will undertake the work required to give effect to this recommendation.

The detailed implementation plan approved by Government in November last year sets out a number of work streams that will inform phase 2 of the Army design process which is expected to deliver an agile, flexible and regionally balanced force.

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