Alan Kelly (Tipperary, Labour)
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209. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence if Ireland remains a neutral state; if he is satisfied that Ireland’s membership of PESCO and EPF is compatible with Irish neutrality; if there will be an update to Ireland’s defence policy given the potential infringement on Irish neutrality implied by membership of these organisations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36888/21]

Alan Kelly (Tipperary, Labour)
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211. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the reason that public consultation was not conducted upon joining PESCO and EPF; if there will be a review of the membership of these organisations by the State; if greater public consultation in relation to similar future policy changes will be committed to; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36890/21]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 209 and 211 together.

Ireland's policy of military neutrality as set down in the White Paper on Defence 2015 is characterised by non-membership of military alliances and non-participation in common or mutual defence arrangements. This policy has not changed nor are there any plans to change it.

Membership of PESCO and participation in the EPF have no implications for Ireland’s traditional policy of military neutrality. Participation in PESCO relates to the collaborative development of military capabilities in support of CSDP operations launched in support of international peace and security and in accordance with the UN Charter. The European Peace Facility incorporates the existing EU Athena Mechanism on the funding of common costs of CSDP missions and operations in which Ireland has participated for many years, and the existing African Peace Facility albeit with a broader mandate. including allowing EU financing of peace support operations outside of Africa. While the EPF may, in certain circumstances and with strong safeguards, provide funding for military equipment up to and including lethal force equipment, Ireland made clear from the start of negotiations that we would not fund assistance measures which include such weapons reflecting the Programme for Government commitment that ‘Ireland will not be part of decision making or funding for lethal force weapons for non-peacekeeping purposes’ and this is reflected in the Council Decision.

Neither PESCO nor the EPF represent new organisations but rather mechanisms within the framework of the EU treaties to support CSDP.

Alan Kelly (Tipperary, Labour)
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210. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the amount of carbon emissions as a result of the activities of the Defence Forces; the plans of the Defence Forces to reduce its carbon output; the breakdown of the extra carbon emissions emitted as a result of extra duties carried out by the Defence Forces through memberships of PESCO and EPF; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36889/21]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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The Defence Forces, as a public body, reports its Total Final Consumption (TFC) through SEAIs Monitoring and Reporting System. In 2020, the activities of the Defence Forces accounted for 46.8m kg CO2. This includes all electricity, thermal and transport (road, air and sea) energy consumption. .

The Defence Forces Senior Energy Executive (SEE) approves the Annual Energy Plan of Action for the Defence Forces. The SEE has been examining courses of action to achieve 2030 decarbonisation targets across all energy types. The current Plan of Action includes energy saving initiatives across all domains (naval, air and road transport and infrastructure) such as electrification of heating through the use of heat pumps, use of EVs for administration road transport and increasing onsite electricity generationwith solar photo-voltaic systems while also examining a number of potential wind turbine projects. The SEE has also established a working group to examine the use of Sustainable and Alternate Fuels (SAF) for naval vessels, aircraft and heavy vehicles.

The Defence Organisation has fully engaged with green procurement and where ever possible green procurement considerations are utilised as either selection or award criteria in procurement projects published to the market. All future infrastructure projects, be they new build or refurbishment, will consider and include appropriate options to improve and optimise the energy efficiency of our defence infrastructure.

The Defence Forces are actively involved in the EDA Energy and Environment Working Group and the European Commission funded Consultation Forum on Sustainable Energy in the Defence and Security Sector. Both of these fora bring together experts from the defence and energy sectors to share information and best practices on improving energy management, energy efficiency, the use of renewable energy as well increasing the protection and resilience of defence energy-related critical infrastructures. Ireland also participates in the EDA Smart Water Camps project, a water management project which aims to address environmental concerns with regard to water usage on military bases. There is also an energy related PESCO project, Energy Operational Function, on which Ireland has observer status. Participation in PESCO and the EPF will not of themselves give rise to any additional carbon emmisions.

Senior civil and military management engage at the Strategic Management Committee, which comprises the senior leadership teams from the Department and the Defence Forces, to ensure coherence in climate change actions.

Sorca Clarke (Longford-Westmeath, Sinn Fein)
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212. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the steps that have been taken to properly record overtime worked by members of the Permanent Defence Forces. [36913/21]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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Unlike other areas of the Public Service and due to the nature of the duties performed, overtime payments are not available to members of the Defence Forces and comparisons with other areas of the Public Service must be cognisant of the unique role, structure, duties and working conditions of service which are particular to military personnel.

In that regard a Military Service Allowance, which is designed to compensate for the special disadvantages associated with military life including long and unsocial hours, is paid to all ranks up to the level of Colonel. It is of course also the case that in addition to basic pay and military service allowance, certain positions in the Defence Forces also attract specialist and technical pay and that a range of duties also attract additional allowances. These duty based allowances are not analogous to overtime as such payments are in addition to basic pay and MSA and are related to the duties undertaken.

The Deputy will be aware a Commission on the Defence Forces has been established and is currently working to meet its terms of reference. As part of its Terms of Reference the Commission will examine the evolution of all remuneration systems and structures currently in place in the Defence Forces noting what the Programme for Government states in relation to a future Permanent Pay Review Body. It will also set out a strategic perspective on HR policies, and associated strategies, to fulfil the requirements of military capabilities for a more agile and adaptive Defence Forces in a manner congruent with modern society, and in light of the prevailing dynamics of the labour market, while also remaining consistent with public sector pay and personnel policy.

I look forward to the Commissions Report, expected at the end of this year.

Sorca Clarke (Longford-Westmeath, Sinn Fein)
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213. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the most recent date that each military installation or training centre either owned or hired by the Defence Forces has had fire, health and safety inspections in tabular form. [36914/21]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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As the day to day management of military installations is a matter for the Permanent Defence Force the information sought is not readily available in my Department. Accordingly my Department has sought this information from the military authorities and as soon as same is received, I will forward this information onto the Deputy.

Sorca Clarke (Longford-Westmeath, Sinn Fein)
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214. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the initial outlay for each of the nine ships in the Naval Service. [36915/21]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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The Naval Service is the State's principal sea-going agency and is tasked with a variety of defence and other roles. The main day-to-day role of the Naval Service is to provide a fishery protection service in accordance with the State's obligations as a member of the European Union. On any given patrol day the Naval Service can carry out a number of taskings on behalf of other State agencies such as the Sea Fisheries Protection Authority, An Garda Síochána and the Customs Service of the Revenue Commissioners.

The initial outlay cost of a Naval Service vessel depends on several factors, including the date that it was built and the specification and type of vessel. The service life of a Naval Service vessel is generally in the region of 30 years and is determined by the level of the ship's operational activity. Details are provided below for the different classes of vessels within the Naval Service fleet of 9 ships, including ship names and the approximate initial outlay for that class of vessel.

P31 LE Eithne: Cost approximately £25 million, commissioned in 1984.

P41 LÉ Orla, P42 LÉ Ciara: Cost approximately £Stg8 million in total for both ships. Both were purchased in 1988 at which point they had 3 to 4 years service with the Royal Navy.

P51 LÉ Róisín, P52 LÉ Niamh: Cost approximately €50 million in total for both ships, commissioned in 1999 and 2001 respectively.

P61 LÉ Samuel Beckett, P62 LÉ James Joyce, P63 LÉ William Butler Years, P64 LÉ George B Shaw: Cost approximately €250 million in total for the four ships, commissioned in 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2019 respectively.

The replacement of the flagship LÉ Eithne with a multi-role vessel, MRV, is the immediate project currently under way. The MRV project is an important capability development project and indicative of the commitment to ongoing investment in and development of defence capabilities. It is intended to hold a public tender competition in due course to cover the supply of the MRV, subject to availability of funding within the overall defence capital funding envelope. Projects for other vessel replacements will be considered over the lifetime of the White Paper on Defence in the context of overall capability development and funding, and in accordance with the overall equipment development planning process.