Noel McCarthy (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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13. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the amount of funding allocated for the development of Defence Forces infrastructure in each of the past five years, the number of projects completed in that period, the number under way and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49093/25]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Deputy for his question and for the opportunity to discuss the considerable investment made by my Department in the Defence Forces over the past five years. This is much-needed investment when we have to do more in terms of our national security and defence. The Defence Forces infrastructure development plan, IDP, sets out a programme of project delivery for the years 2023 to 2027. The programme reflects the complex environment in which the Defence Forces operate and the need for appropriate infrastructure to provide accommodation and training of personnel as well as the maintenance and storage of equipment.

There has been a consistent commitment to capital works development and the improvement of military installations and barracks across the country. The amount of funding given towards such developments has increased significantly year on year. For example, €37 million was allocated in 2021. This has risen this year to €62.5 million. I hope this level of investment demonstrates our continued commitment to ensuring the development of our military infrastructure.

I am pleased to say that over the past five years, 43 capital infrastructure projects were completed across Defence Forces installations and barracks. Some of the most notable projects include the upgrade and refurbishment of blocks within the historic McKee Barracks, the new training and accommodation facility at Renmore, the Cadet School at the Defence Forces Training Centre in the Curragh Camp and the upgrade of block 4 accommodation at Haulbowline. All the completed projects represent a significant step towards enhancing the experiences of our Defence Forces personnel by providing them with a high-quality, modern living and working environment.

This year alone, 13 projects are under way at construction stage, many of which are due to finish in the next 12 months, with a combined value of €60 million. Most notable are the new military medical facility at Casement Aerodrome, the new gym and obstacle course along with the locker block at the Joint Induction Training Centre at Gormanston campus, and the refurbishment of block 1 accommodation in Collins Barracks. I am very pleased to say that the significant extra capital investment we have received in the national development plan will enable us to spend a lot more on capital. This is a very significant rise, at about €600 million for Defence Force capital over the next five years compared with the previous five.

Noel McCarthy (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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I acknowledge the important work of Defence Forces personnel. I have seen it at first hand with family members directly involved. I firmly believe that Defence Forces infrastructure and equipment must be of a modern standard to meet their operational capabilities and defence responsibilities. I therefore welcome the revised national development plan allocation to upgrade and modernise Defence Forces infrastructure and the fact that planning is being undertaken. I believe a modern progressive Defence Forces with associated equipment and infrastructure would further encourage those who are interested in pursuing a career in the Defence Forces to enlist. I acknowledge that some of these projects are complex and require long lead-in times but I ask the Tánaiste to keep these developments at the forefront of his thinking and that of his Department.

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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I acknowledge the Deputy's family's proud tradition of service in our Defence Forces. I know that he will very much agree that investing in our defence infrastructure is not just about investment in buildings or vehicles. It is actually an investment in our people, in keeping them safe, providing them with the best equipment and ensuring they are trained to the highest possible standard. It is about ensuring our soldiers, sailors and air crew can carry out their duties in a safe and secure environment. I am really pleased to inform the Deputy that we have a number of really significant capital projects at various stages of the procurement pipeline, including the significant investment we will make in sonar and radar capabilities, which I believe will be transformational.

I know the Deputy may be particularly interested in some of the projects in his own county of Cork, so let me take the opportunity to highlight two of them. They involve the upgrade of two buildings, namely, block 4 accommodation and block 9 office accommodation at the naval base in Haulbowline. One involves €7.8 million, while the other involves €17.4 million. I am also pleased to say that we have seen a refurbishment of block 1 accommodation in Collins Barracks at an investment of €4.9 million. Millions are being invested in the defence facilities in Cork.

Noel McCarthy (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Minister for his very positive response. I welcome the news about Haulbowline and Collins Barracks. It is very positive news. Could the Tánaiste give me an update on the Department's development of a national maritime security strategy? Approval has also been given for Defence Forces participating in the EU's common information sharing environment. Could the Tánaiste provide further insight into what information is being shared as part of this agreement?

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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These are very significant developments that have taken place. Regarding the need to develop a national maritime security strategy, the waters over which we have exclusive economic authority are about seven times larger than the land mass of this country, so we have to have a better understanding and better security structures in place regarding that. This is why we are leading on the national maritime security strategy. We ran a public consultation over the summer and received about 300 responses. I expect to receive the national maritime security strategy by the end of the year. That is another key step in terms of the security of our country.

Regarding the common information sharing exchange, the Deputy is correct in saying that I took the decision for the Defence Forces to opt in to this. This basically a sharing system for when we become aware of something in our waters. A lot of this would have happened on an ad hoc basis in the past as good relations are already in place, but we need to better co-ordinate information when we see something in our seas that can move into somebody else's seas. We are seeing more and more of this happening. We are seeing more and more bad actors in this space. This system provides us with an exchange to co-ordinate that information sharing and is working well.