Michael Fitzmaurice (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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246. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the number of personnel in the Defence Forces in its various areas over the past five years in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4166/22]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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249. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the extent to which efforts continue to ensure the maintenance of the strength of the Army, Naval Service and Air Corps at optimum levels having particular regard to Ireland’s position on the periphery of Europe and its extended coastline; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4190/22]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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255. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the extent to which he remains assured that no attempt is being made to reduce the strength of any branch of the Defence Forces; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4196/22]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 246, 249 and 255 together.

As at 31 December 2021, the strength of the PDF was 8,468 whole time equivalent personnel comprised of 6,841 Army, 876 Naval Service and 751 Air Corps. There is an establishment of 9,500 personnel for the Permanent Defence Force, 7,520 for the Army, 1,094 for the Naval Service, and 996 for the Air Corps which the Government remains committed to returning to and maintaining. The manpower requirement of the Defence Forces is monitored on an ongoing basis in accordance with the operational requirements of each of the three services. The Naval Service, for example, continues to carry out the roles assigned by Government, including fishery protection and security operations with aerial assistance in patrolling the Irish Exclusive Economic Zone provided by the Air Corps Maritime Patrol Squadron.

The strength, by Branch, for each of the past five years is attached.

Permanent Defence Force Strength (WTE)

A range of actions have been taken to address recruitment and retention issues in the Permanent Defence Force and bridge the shortfall between the current strength figures and those of the establishment.

Ongoing recruitment initiatives resulted in a total of 576 personnel being inducted in 2021. While the 2022 Recruitment Plan is not yet finalised, the Defence Forces remain committed to optimising the number of personnel inducted.

The scope of direct entry competitions, along with the terms and conditions, continue to be expanded and revised to improve intakes. The re-entry campaign for former members of the PDF continues.

Concurrent retention initiatives such as a service commitment schemes in the Air Corps (for pilots) and the Naval Service have been launched. The PSPC report on recruitment and retention in the Defence Forces made a range of recommendations with a view to addressing recruitment and retention issues and these have been progressed through a series of projects.

Additionally, the Commission on the Defence Forces is finalising its work with a view to completing their Report as soon as possible. The Commission’s Report, when submitted, will be fully considered at that point.

The Government is committed to retaining the capacity of the Defence Forces to operate effectively.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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247. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the extent to which Ireland can rely on the European Union for the resources necessary to ensure the future availability of adequate coastal surveillance, air sea rescue or other services necessary for an island nation inside the European Union but some distance from the European mainland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4188/22]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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248. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence if the European Union will offer assistance towards the replacement and or upkeep and operation of air and sea rescue and or other services given the nature of the Irish coastline and the possible exploitation by others of perceived weakness; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4189/22]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 247 and 248 together.

The Naval Service, as the State's principal sea-going agency, is tasked with a variety of defence and other roles. While the main day to day tasking 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, it also carries out a number of other non-fishery related tasks in tandem with maritime surveillance, and as such any Naval Service patrol should be viewed as a multi-faceted activity.

The Air Corps Maritime Patrol Squadron carries out aerial surveillance of the Irish Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) using the two CASA CN 235 maritime patrol aircraft. These aircraft are equipped with state-of-the-art surveillance and communication equipment which offers aerial assistance to the Naval Service in patrolling the Irish EEZ.

The Naval Service and the Air Corps provide assistance and support to search and rescue missions on an as available basis, however, the lead agency for search and rescue (SAR) in Ireland's SAR domain is the Irish Coast Guard.

In terms of fishery protection the Naval Service is tasked with patrolling all Irish waters from the shoreline to the outer limits of the EEZ. These patrols are carried out on a regular and frequent basis and are directed to all areas of Irish waters as necessary. The Sea Fisheries Protection Authority are the competent authority in relation to fisheries control in Ireland's EEZ.

My Department has applied for EU funding in support of the Defence Forces via the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF) Operational Programme (2014-2020). Approval in principle has been received for a number of relevant projects, including projects specifically linked to Naval Service and Air Corps capabilities and operations.

My Department has also begun discussions with the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine to investigate the possibility of securing additional future funding to support Naval Service and Air Corps operations under the new European Maritime Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund (EMFAF) 2021 – 2027.

Ireland is currently involved in an European Defence Agency project named Maritime Surveillance (MARSUR) Networking - Operations Support & Development (MARSUR III). This is the third iteration of the MARSUR projects. The main objective of the EDA Maritime Surveillance programme is to further develop a Recognised Maritime Picture (RMP) exchange network amongst Member States. An RMP is a picture or map that shows all vessels and activities that are present in a particular maritime area. It links to national and international data and information on vessels, the marine environment, infrastructure etc. that has been compiled from various monitoring and surveillance systems. The MARSUR Project continues to enhance, upgrade and develop the capability for participating Member States to share different levels of classified information across the network.

The MARSUR projects have assisted Member States, including Ireland, to combat drug trafficking, smuggling, illegal immigration and migration and international terrorism. Better exchange of information plays an important part in protecting maritime trade, the maritime environment and natural resources.

As a committed EU Member State, Ireland supports fully the efforts of EU Member States to improve the Union's capacity to respond to the prevailing challenging security environment, including in the area of defence.