Sorca Clarke (Longford-Westmeath, Sinn Fein)
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383. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence if the Commission on the Defence Forces will consider the reinstatement of the 4th Western Brigade to Custume Barracks in Athlone. [9877/21]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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Following Government approval for the establishment of an independent Commission on the Defence Forces in December 2020, the Commission was tasked with undertaking a comprehensive review of the Defence Forces with a mandate to report within 12 months. The Government also approved the Terms of Reference and the membership of the Commission. As part of a broader consultation process, the Commission has launched its website and has invited submissions from individuals and organisations on issues relevant to its Terms of Reference.

The Commission has been established as an independent body, and while it is a matter entirely for the Commission, I understand that further discussions and consultations are planned with Defence Forces personnel of all ranks and the Commission will also be engaging with other key stakeholder groups. The Commission’s overall approach will be guided and informed by both the White Paper on Defence 2015 and the White Paper Update 2019, which set out Ireland’s extant Defence Policy, including the current Security Environment Assessment, as set out in the White Paper Update.