Duncan Smith (Dublin Fingal, Labour)
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146. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence if he or his officials have had meetings with the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage regarding the upgrading, putting back into use the housing accommodation in the Curragh Camp, County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28620/21]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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My Department has not met with the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage in relation to the matter referenced by the Deputy. It has been a long standing policy introduced in the 1990's to discontinue the provision of Married Quarters to serving personnel. It is not intended to reverse this long standing policy.

The Deputy may wish to note that my Department transfered ownership of two properties in the Orchard Park estate which is located outside the Curragh Camp to Kildare County Council, as they are the relevant housing authority for the area. My Department are open to working with Kildare County Council in handing over the remaining 3 properties owned by my Department in this estate.

Duncan Smith (Dublin Fingal, Labour)
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147. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the amount of annual funding dedicated to the CIS unit in the Defence Forces for each year since 2016; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28621/21]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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Vote 36 Defence is delivered under a single programme entitled ‘Defence Policy and Support, Military Capabilities and Operational Outputs’, and dedicated funding by Corps is not identified separately in the budgetary process. In line with this approach, funding for the Communications and Information Services (CIS) Corps in respect of pay and allowances and other support and operational costs is provided for within the appropriate Subheads of the Defence Vote.

The Communications and Information Services (CIS) Corps has responsibility for the development and operation of Communications and Information Technology supports across the Defence Forces. Expenditure on the provision of these specific supports by the CIS Corps is accounted for under Subhead A.15 (Defence Forces: Communications and Information Technology), of the Defence Vote. Expenditure on Defence Communications and Information Technology services in any given year reflects the status and progression of projects in that year, in response to assessed and prioritised operational requirements.

Expenditure from 2016 to 2020 and to date in 2021, under Subhead A15 (Defence Forces: Communications and Information Technology), is set out in the table below.

Duncan Smith (Dublin Fingal, Labour)
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148. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence if there have been applications from the Permanent Defence Forces and or the Reserve Defence Forces to join the CIS units; the number of personnel currently working in the units for each year since 2016; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28622/21]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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The Communications and Information Services (CIS) Corps is responsible for the provision and maintenance of effective communications and information systems for Óglaigh na hÉireann.

CIS Corps personnel are trained and educated for their respective roles through a variety of methods, including Óglaigh na hÉireann Trainee Technician Scheme (TTS), which is effectively a four-year accredited scheme, and accepts applications from across the three services of Óglaigh na hÉireann. The Military Authorities have confirmed that they have recieved applications from personnel to join the CIS Corps in the usual manner through their Units and in line with applications for other specialist areas in the Defence Forces.

The CIS Corps also ensures the conduct of third level education schemes and professional military education courses up to and including Level 9 Masters Degrees.

The Strength of Permanent Defence Force CIS Corps is not released for operational and security reasons.

Duncan Smith (Dublin Fingal, Labour)
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149. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the efforts his Department has underway to recruit into the CIS units in Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28623/21]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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It has not been possible to gather the required information in the turanround time for PQs. I will revert to the Deputy when I am in a position to reply.

Duncan Smith (Dublin Fingal, Labour)
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150. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the efforts currently underway to attract recruits into the Defence Forces; the cost of the current advertising campaign; the target areas for the placement of such advertising; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28624/21]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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The military authorities have advised that the allocated recruitment advertising budget for 2021 is €395,000. Advertising arsing from recuitment campaigns is placed across all major social media platforms and radio stations.

As at 30^th April 2021, a total of 149 personnel were inducted into the Permanent Defence Force.Further inductions will take place throughout the year as recruitment continues. The Air Corps Apprentice competition, attracted 663 applications and these are currently being processed. The 2021 Cadet competition is underway and General Service recruitment is ongoing. This is in addition to the 9 current Direct Entry competitions and the re-commissioning and re-enlistment schemes.

The Government remains committed to returning to, and maintaining the agreed strength of the Permanent Defence Force at 9,500 personnel as set out in the White Paper on Defence (2015).