Colm Brophy (Dublin South West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

As the Senator mentioned, the Minister is attending the launch today. The Minister welcomed the publication of the Report of the Commission on the Defence Forces in February. The establishment of the commission was set out in the programme for Government. The members of the commission were drawn from a wide range of national and international experts. The publication of the report represents the culmination of the work carried out over 13 months, and is testament to the considerable efforts of all of those who contributed to its completion.

The report is wide-ranging and comprehensive. It contains 69 main recommendations. Together with sub-recommendations, there are 130 individual recommendations. The report proposes significant changes for the Defence Forces, including significant cultural changes and HR practices. It also includes proposals relating to high-level command and control structures and for the level of defence provision in Ireland.

Yesterday, Government approval was given for a move to level of ambition 2, as set out in the capability framework devised by the Commission on the Defence Forces. This will result in the Defence budget rising from €1.1 billion to €1.5 billion, in 2022 prices, by 2028. That is the largest increase in defence funding in the history of the State. The Government also approved the high-level action plan which sets out the response of Government on each of the 130 specific recommendations in the commission's report. Of the 130 individual recommendations, 103 have been approved or approved in principle, with the remaining 27 requiring further investigation.

An implementation structure is also set out in the high-level action plan. As part of this, it is intended that a detailed implementation plan will be approved before the end of 2022. The establishment of a naval base on the east coast was not one of the specific recommendations made by the commission in its report and, therefore, is not specifically referenced in the high-level action plan approved by Government yesterday.

The Minister for Defence cannot make any commitment at this time in respect of establishing a naval base of operations on the east coast of Ireland. However, this may be considered in the future. The Naval Service has availed of Dún Laoghaire Harbour to mark many significant events. These events included the commissioning ceremony of LÉ James Joyce, that took place in 2015. The freedom of entry to the county was bestowed upon the Irish Naval Service in 2017 by Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council in recognition of its work in the Mediterranean humanitarian crisis. The Naval Service's official 75th anniversary celebrations began in Dún Laoghaire Harbour in 2021 when the LÉ Samuel Beckettberthed overnight and departed the harbour, heralded by a 21-gun salute.

There is a long-standing and ongoing tradition of Naval Service ships using Dún Laoghaire Harbour for shelter and shore leave. The Naval Service also uses the Harbour for training the Naval Service Reserve. The Minister for Defence is satisfied that the connection between Dún Laoghaire Harbour and the Naval Service is an important and strong one that continues to be fostered on an ongoing basis.