Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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A key priority for me as Minister for Defence is to ensure that the capabilities of the Defence Forces are maintained, developed and enhanced in order to ensure that the Defence Forces can carry out all of the roles assigned to it by Government, as set out in the White Paper on Defence.

Capability priorities for the Army, Air Corps and Naval Service are considered as part of the capability development planning processes which include both a five-year Equipment Development Plan and a Built Infrastructure Programme.

The Equipment Development Plan recognises the need to maintain and upgrade military capabilities having regard to emerging priorities, operational requirements and changes in technology. This is an ongoing iterative process. There are a number of defensive equipment acquisition and upgrade projects that are well underway and which will continue to be delivered during 2023. These include the midlife upgrade of the Army's fleet of 80 Mowag Piranha III Armoured Personnel Carrier vehicles and the programme is due to be completed this year. Furthermore, earlier this month saw the completion of the delivery of an additional 30 Armoured Utility Vehicles for the Army, while the roll out of thermal imaging systems to the Cavalry Corps is ongoing with a similar deployment to the Infantry Corps due in 2023.

In relation to air-based capability, the programme for the supply of two C295 Maritime Patrol Aircraft for the Air Corps is well underway with delivery of the aircraft expected later this year. These larger more capable aircraft will replace the two CASA 235 Maritime Patrol Aircraft which will enhance maritime surveillance and provide a greater degree of utility for transport and cargo carrying tasks. An order was placed for a C295W Military Transport Aircraft which will be delivered in 2025.

In relation to the Naval Service, two Inshore Patrol Vessels have been purchased from the New Zealand Government and it is expected that these vessels will be transported to Ireland by mid-2023 following the completion of a programme of works. Meanwhile, a further priority for 2023 is to make further progress with the new Multi Role Vessel (MRV) project. Marine advisors have been appointed to support this procurement project, with work underway that will inform a public tender competition in due course. Meanwhile, the programme of works for the midlife refit and upgrade of LÉ Niamh is ongoing.

Following the report of the Commission on the Defence Forces in 2022, which included a wide range of recommendations in relation to capabilities and funding, the Government approved a move to ‘Level of Ambition 2’ (LOA2), as set out in the capability framework devised by the Commission. This will result in the Defence budget rising to €1.5 billion, at January 2022 prices, by 2028. This represents the largest increase in Defence funding in the history of the State and will allow for significant increased investment in capability development over the coming years.  The budget for 2023 includes an increase of €67m over the 2022 budget for Defence and provides an almost 25% increase in Capital funding. This is a demonstration of the Government’s strong commitment to support the transformation of the Defence Forces into a modern, agile military force, capable of responding to increasingly complex security challenges.

Finally, allied to this, a key recommendation made by the Commission called for the immediate establishment of a top-down capability development planning process through the creation of a new permanent civil-military structure. This recommendation was accepted by Government last July. Since then, significant work to establish a new permanent civil-military Branch within my Department has been undertaken and the new Branch is now being established and will commence capability development work this year.