Seán Crowe (Dublin South West, Sinn Fein)
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3. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the current status of the procurement process for the military primary radar system; if rollout of the system will commence in 2026 and full operational status will be achieved by 2028; if there has been any change in the total cost of approximately €300 million for the programme; if the current training courses for such operations in the Defence Forces are compatible with the new system; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60897/25]

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire (Cork South-Central, Sinn Fein)
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The Tánaiste's previous answer tailors well enough with this question. One of the key priorities in how we tailor investment in our Defence Forces is our naval capacity and our understanding of what is in Irish waters. That is probably the number one issue of concern for us and for our neighbours. The most important piece of infrastructure is ensuring that we have that full radar picture, which is something we have been missing for a very long time. Can we get an update for the rollout of that and a timeline for completion?

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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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.

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire (Cork South-Central, Sinn Fein)
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The primary radar system and the full radar picture is one of the cornerstones of the transformation of the Defence Forces and it is crucial we get it right, not least because it will cost a substantial sum of money. Can the Tánaiste give us a sense of what kind of sums we are talking about because it is important we apply lessons learned from other public contracts to this project? There was a discussion yesterday on the relationship between Britain and Ireland. There was a discussion about security. One of the points advanced was military expenditure. People talk about the amount spent but it can be spent well or can be spent badly. Obviously, it is essential we achieve value for money in delivering this.

The Tánaiste talked about the naval radar picture and the requirement that it would be ship-borne. Do we have the capacity, in terms of our current fleet, to deliver that? Similarly, do we have the capacity with the air picture?

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Yes, we do. I take the point on the value for money or good value for the taxpayer. I will update the House once we get to the point where we place contracts and the like. Obviously, securing value for money is important. The only priority above that is securing this. That is why I think wise decisions were taken in years before my occupation of this office to put in place structures where we could engage with other governments in other countries, particularly, but not exclusively, in the European Union, which may have the ability to provide this equipment to us in a quicker manner. Speed and value are absolutely key priorities.

I expect to be in a position to update the Government on this very shortly and once I have done that, I will be very happy to update the Deputy, the House and the Oireachtas committee. All capital expenditure associated with the delivery of the programme will be met from within the capital allocations 2026 to 2030, which were recently agreed as part of the review of the national development plan. We are at a critical stage now in terms of this project and, pending a final decision on the options of delivery, it would be premature for me to make any further comment on likely costs. Training needs will be determined and delivered as part of the delivery of the programme also.

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire (Cork South-Central, Sinn Fein)
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The cost is a consideration. It is vitally important that value for money is achieved but also that it is of the highest standard and it is secure. We talked about whether the naval and the aircraft capacity existed. There is also the issue of personnel. Will there be a requirement for additional specialist personnel in order to operate this? The Minister talked about it being rolled out in parts. Can he give us a sense of the sequence of those? What are the most advanced parts or the earliest parts of that to be delivered? This is a vitally important piece of infrastructure. There are very real threats in our seas. How we address those when we know about them is a different and an important debate but first, we need to know. We need to have the picture but we do not currently have that. So, it is vitally important. Can the Minister give us a sense, from a personnel point of view, whether additional specialist personnel are required?

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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The information available to me is that the existing personnel's training needs will be the priority. Training needs will be determined and delivered as part of the delivery of the programme and will encompass equipment level training, including maintenance, as well operational and tactical level training. Training and upskilling our current personnel as opposed to additional specialist personnel is the information available to me. On sequencing, obviously I want to be transparent and helpful but also respect, as we all do, the security-sensitive deliberations in relation to the rollout of any programme being rolled out to increase our own national security. Planning and preparations for our Presidency of the European Union are well under way and the phased early delivery of elements of the military radar programme in 2026 may form part of these preparations. A key focus, and a key early focus of the programme, should be our counter unmanned aerial system capability. We have a structure in place to keep the Oireachtas committee up to date and we will do that in a sensitive and appropriate way.