Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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133. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence if he will provide an overview of the key defence initiatives announced since 27 June 2020; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62773/22]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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The Programme for Government contains an ambitious range of commitments concerning the Defence sector that my Department will continue to implement over the lifetime of the Programme. 

The Defence Organisation played a very significant role in the State’s overall response to the Covid 19 pandemic. The response involved the Department of Defence, the Defence Forces and Civil Defence, having regard to their specific roles. The Defence Organisation participated in a number of official groups such as the High Level Task Force for Covid 19 Vaccination. In addition to supporting the HSE, the Defence Forces provided a broad range of supports to other Departments and Agencies.  There were over 59 thousand Defence Force Taskings in 2020 and over 62 thousand taskings in 2021.

One of the key commitments in the Programme for Government was to establish a Commission on the Defence Forces.  On the 15th December 2020, the Government approved terms of reference and the membership of an independent Commission on the Defence Forces, and their report was published on the 9th February 2022.

On the 12th July 2022, Government approval was given for a move to 'Level of Ambition 2' (LOA2), 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, the largest increase in Defence funding in the history of the State.  This will allow for the required substantial transformation and investment in recruitment and equipment that were identified by the Commission. The move to LOA2 will require an additional 2,000 personnel (civil and military) over and above the current establishment of 9,500. 

A High-Level Action Plan (HLAP) was also approved. Some specific initiatives include the immediate commencement of planning for military radar capabilities, including primary radar, the establishment of an Office of Reserve Affairs with the priority objective of developing a regeneration plan for the Reserve Defence Force and the commencement of a Strategic Defence Review and officials in my Department are working with the Military Authorities with a view to progressing this action. A civil/military Implementation Management Office (IMO) has been established to support the implementation of the overall transformation programme required to implement recommendations from the report and work on a detailed implementation plan, which will set out how the report’s recommendations will be delivered over the next number of years, is currently at an advanced stage.

An organisational capability review of the Department of Defence commenced in 2021.  The Review was conducted by the Organisational Capability Review team which is based in the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform and involved engagement with Departmental staff and key stakeholders in the policy and operational domains of the Department.  The report has been published on the Department’s website and an Action plan has been developed to address the recommendations of the review.

My Department continue to implement the rolling 5-year Infrastructure Plan and rolling 5-year Equipment Development Plan for the Defence Forces. Just last week we published an updated Infrastructure Plan for the period 2022- 2027, with over €300m in building investment planned over the next 5 years. Major equipment projects are also being progressed and delivered including the upgrade of the Mowag Armoured Personnel Carriers, the acquisition of Armoured Utility Vehicles for the Army, the acquisition of PC 12 and C-295 aircraft for the Air Corps and the acquisition of refitted second user Inshore Patrol Vessels and progress on the new Multi Role Vessel (MRV) project for the Naval Service. 

Recruitment and retention of personnel is a key priority for me. My Department has progressed a number of activities relating to recruitment and retention in the Defence Forces, and related HR issues. The Report of the Public Service Pay Commission (PSPC) on Recruitment and Retention in the Defence Forces was published on the 4th of July 2019. The Report was accepted in full by the Government and an extensive High-Level Plan titled "Strengthening our Defence Forces” was also agreed and published on the same date.

All projects undertaken to facilitate the implementation of the recommendations of the PSPC report have now been completed, and/or are being progressed as part of normal business. A range of other initiatives have been introduced including commissioning from the ranks, the re-entry of former PDF personnel with specific skills, a sea-going commitment scheme for Naval Service Personnel, an Air Corps Service Commitment Scheme, the Naval Service Tax Credit and extending service limits for Privates, Corporals and Sergeants. The recently extended Building Momentum Agreement 2021-2023 provides for increases in pay for all public servants, including members of the Defence Forces of 6.5% over the lifetime of the agreement.

Following Government approval, a Judge-led Independent Review Group, was established on 25 January last, to examine issues relating to dignity, discrimination, bullying, harassment, sexual harassment and sexual misconduct in the Defence Forces. A final report will be submitted to me by the end of the year and will be brought to Government.

In relation to legislation, the Defence Forces (Evidence) Act 2022 was enacted during 2022.  The principal purpose of this Act is to provide for members of the Military Police to take and use DNA samples and other evidence for the purposes of their investigations, including outside the jurisdiction when Defence Forces personnel are deployed overseas. I also signed the Commencement Order for the Defence (Amendment) Act 2021 and all provisions of the Act commenced with effect from 4 April 2022. Comprehensive rewrites of the Defence Forces Regulations relating to the Reserve Defence Forces (R5 and R7) and Boards of Survey (L7) have also been completed.

With regard to international initiatives, my Departments main focus since June 2020 was Ireland’s policy input into negotiations around the establishment in March 2021 of the European Peace Facility (EPF); the new mechanism to finance Common Security and Defence Policy initiatives, and the Strategic Compass; which sets out the EU’s shared vision for Common Security and Defence Policy that was adopted in March of this year.

Since June 2020, the Office of Emergency Planning (OEP) in my Department has continued to prioritise and enhance interdepartmental strategic emergency management through capacity building and knowledge sharing. This has been achieved by the publication of 4 guideline documents under the Strategic Emergency Management, National Structures and Framework suite of documents. These guideline documents were produced on the subjects of the National Emergency Coordination Group; Critical Infrastructure Resilience; Climate Adaption and; Planning and Exercising. The OEP has provided specialist training to colleagues from across the Lead Government Departments on the subject of strategic emergency management and crisis communications. Working with the Shared Island Unit of the Department of the Taoiseach, the OEP has hosted an all-island disaster risk reduction conference, bringing together policy area, academic and private sector experts in strategic emergency planning from across the island of Ireland.

My Department also published The National Risk Assessment for Ireland 2020, which identifies and assesses the likelihood and impact of key risks facing the State across a broad range of emergencies. It formed part of the EU-wide risk assessment process. Subsequently, my Department also published an Assessment of Risk Management Capabilities Report in 2021, which identified the capabilities in each of the government departments tasked with dealing with the 16 strategic risks identified in the National Risk Assessment for Ireland.

The Defence Organisation has also being working across Government to provide a range of supports in response to the Ukrainian crises. This includes the provision of approximately 10 tonnes or 5,000 units of ready-to-eat meals and 200 units of body armour which have been shipped from Defence Forces stocks to Ukraine. A number of Department properties have also been made available for accommodation. The Defence Forces continue to provide logistical assistance to DCEDIY and HSE in a range of areas (transport and set up and provision of furniture and equipment etc.) and the Air Corps on behalf of the HSE have completed five air ambulances from Poland with Ukrainian patients plus their families. The Department continues to engage with DHLGH and the HSE in support of potential future similar assistance.

I am satisfied that significant progress is being made in implementing the Government’s ambitious programme for Defence and I look forward to ongoing delivery of key commitments.