Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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157. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence if he will set out the supports available to former Defence Force personnel who find themselves in need of material support; if such supports also extend to funeral costs for family members of former Defence Force personnel; if he will set out the total amount paid out in such supports for each of the past three years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21046/23]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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My Department provides support to two recognised Veterans Associations which represent all former personnel of the Defence Forces, namely the Organisation of National Ex-Service Personnel (ONE), and the Irish United Nations Veterans Association (IUNVA). My Department engages on an ongoing basis with these associations and has entered into Service Level Agreements with them. An annual grant of €130,000 is paid to ONE and a grant of €30,000 is paid to IUNVA to assist with their overheads. As a further means of assistance, my Department has secured a total of €700,000 from the Dormant Accounts Fund since 2021 in order to assist ONE and IUNVA with specific special projects.

Funeral costs for family members of former Defence Forces personnel are not funded by the Exchequer. I am informed that the Defence Forces Benevolent Fund, which is funded from contributions of serving Defence Forces personnel, may make a contribution to funeral expenses on a case-by-case basis.