Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)

On this point we agree. A key priority for Ireland and our Defence Forces, our Naval Service and our country has to be to ensure we have as best an understanding as possible of what happens in our seas, below our waters. A key priority for me is to ensure the operational capacity of the Defence Forces is maintained and developed to get us to the level of ambition 2, LOA2, as defined by the Commission on the Defence Forces, CODF.

The CODF recommended the development of a primary radar capability to ensure that Ireland can maintain a complete "recognised air picture" and that this should be an immediate and top priority. There are three elements to the military radar programme: the land based long range primary radar; the ground based air defence, GBAD, systems, to include a counter-unmanned aerial systems, C-UAS; and the maritime ship-borne radar.

This programme of work is ongoing and I am pleased to tell the Deputy that good progress has been made. When fully delivered, the recognised air picture will incorporate this suite of military radar systems, which will have the capability to detect all aircraft traversing our airspace, including any that may be operating with their transponders turned off. Full delivery of the programme will be complex because it needs to be rolled out in a sequential area. This has been prioritised with a target date of 2028 identified in the detailed implementation plan. That being said - and this is an important message for everybody to know - elements of this capability will be rolled out in phases, starting in 2026. Our radar capacity will increase from 2026 and will be fully completed by 2028.

My Department has engaged with a number of countries, including all EU member states, to ascertain their interest in supporting Ireland to deliver this capability. Based on the responses received, earlier this year I directed my officials to commence bilateral discussions with a small number of countries, with a view to assessing options for delivery. These bilateral discussions have now concluded and technical assessments of the various options for delivery of the entire programme are very close to finalisation. I anticipate that this phase of the programme will conclude before the end of this year, with the Government decision before the end of this year as well.

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