Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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182. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence if he will outline the progress made since the publication of the Report of the Commission on the Defence Forces on the development of anti-drone or counter UAS (unmanned aircraft systems) in the Defence Forces; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29776/23]

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.

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.

Allied to this, one of the recommendations made by the Commission provided for the development of anti-drone or counter UAS capabilities. This recommendation was accepted in principle in the subsequent High Level Action Plan published last July following the Government's consideration of the Commission’s report.

As a result, a civil-military Working Group on UAS detection and counter UAS technology has recently been established. The Working Group has commenced a study of national and international best practice, and regulatory requirements, in order to see how UAS detection and counter UAS technology can best be deployed in the context of enhancing the capacity of the Defence Forces to carry out all of the roles assigned to it by Government. Building on current and previous staff studies in this area, the Working Group will make recommendations on the development of the Defence Forces capability and capacity in this area.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 183 and 184 together.

As the Deputy will be aware the project referred to forms part of a wider initiative in Portlaoise in relation to the provision of new buildings for An Garda Síochána and the Defence Forces. My Department has confirmed to both the Irish Prison Services and the OPW that the Defence Forces have a current operational requirement in Portlaoise. Accordingly, the OPW are now overseeing the delivery of a new building for these purposes. While the Department does provide assist in accommodating Veterans services, the primary responsibility for sourcing such accommodation rests with the relevant Veterans organisation in the first instance. That being said, my Department will consider the scope for other users of the new building when same is completed and handed over to the Department.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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185. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the extent to which issues relating to pay and conditions with the Defence Forces have been resolved or are under review; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29797/23]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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I understand that the Deputy wishes to seek clarity on Pay and Allowance matters for the Defence Forces. I am very happy to outline to the Deputy the range of recent key improvements in terms of pay and allowances for personnel.

At the outset, it is important to state that starting rates of pay in the Defence Forces compare very well to comparable rates of pay across the public service. In addition there is scope for further income from duty allowances and allowances for overseas service, with tax free duty allowance starting at €15,000 for a 6 month deployment.

In 2022, my Department implemented two of the pay-related recommendations of the Report of the Commission on the Defence Forces; namely, that all personnel of Private 3 Star/Able Seaman rank are paid the full rate of Military Service Allowance (MSA) applicable to the rank, while at the same time, the requirement for that cohort to ‘mark time’ for the first three years at that rank will be removed. The implementation of these measures in 2022 resulted in starting pay rates being increased. These rates include Military Service Allowance, which is pensionable. It is important also to note that these increases, once delivered late last year, were also backdated to the date of the Government decision on the CoDF in July 2022, resulting in a back pay lump sum for those eligible personnel.

Following this, and following the most recent pay increases under the Building Momentum public service pay agreement (2% on 1st March 2023) recruits on completion of training (which takes approximately 24 weeks), start at:

- €37,147 in Year 1 – equating to €712 per week in Year 1

- €38,544 in Year 2

- €39,832 in Year 3

A school leaver Cadet on commissioning is paid €41,123. This is a second lieutenant position. After 2 years they are promoted to lieutenant and their pay rises to €46,406. Where a graduate joins – the pay rate on commissioning begins at €46,406. These rates all include pensionable military service allowance.

Military Service Allowance is an allowance that is paid for the unpredictable nature of the work encountered by the Defence Forces. As with the enlisted, there is scope for further income from duty allowances. There are also opportunities for frequent career advancement to higher ranks and to qualify for additional allowances.

This information is published and routinely updated on military.ie, and is available at the following link:

Current Competitions - Defence Forces (military.ie) www.military.ie/en/careers/current-competitions/.

Further CoDF measures delivered have included:

- Agreement on regularising provision of healthcare to all members of the PDF with all personnel now being able to avail of private secondary medical care.

- Access to the Sea-going Service Commitment Scheme for personnel with one year’s service in the Naval Service (reduced from three years)

- Extensions of the Naval Service Sea Going Commitment Scheme and the Naval Service Tax Credit, and

- Extending service limits for Privates, Corporals and Sergeants.

In 2022, my Department also delivered the Commission recommendation on temporary associate membership for the Representative Associations with the Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU) for the purpose of participation in public sector pay negotiations in mid-2020. This allowed RACO and PDFORRA, for the first time, to take part in discussions on the extension to the Building Momentum Pay Agreement under the ICTU umbrella.

The most recent agreement, the extension to ‘Building Momentum’ (referred to earlier and agreed in Autumn 2022), provided for increases in pay and allowances of 6.5% to members of the Defence Forces in 2022 and 2023. This includes:

- 3%, backdated to 2nd Feb 2022

- 2 % on 1st March 2023

- 1.5% or €750, whichever is the greater, on 1st October 2023.

Pensionable allowances in the nature of pay also benefit from this.

In addition, the implementation of the Sectoral Bargaining Fund element of the original Building Momentum Agreement has resulted in additional payments totalling €373,000 extra per annum - payments which primarily benefit over 471 of the Defence Force’s lower paid members. The implementation of the Technical Pay Groups 2-6 review also resulted in almost €1 million in additional technical pay to those covered by the Review in 2022.

In addition to general round pay increases arising out of ongoing national pay agreements, members of the Permanent Defence Forces have also benefitted from the implementation of increases in Defence Forces duty allowances, as recommended by the Public Service Pay Commission in 2019. It is important to note also that for those Defence Force personnel who have specialist appointments, based on training or qualifications, there is a range of additional allowances available to them. For example, members of the Army Ranger Wing currently receive an allowance of €225 per week, on top of their salary.

Finally, it has to be noted that the Defence Forces offers opportunities for education and personal development, to include fully funded opportunities to gain professional and academic qualifications, while receiving full pay and allowances, as well as providing training for career advancements and promotion opportunities.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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186. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the extent to which optimum strength in the Defence Forces is being maintained, with equal reference to the Army, Naval Service and Air Corps; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29798/23]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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189. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the degree to which he remains satisfied regarding the strength of the Army, Naval Service and Air Corps, with particular reference to ensuring the maintenance of recommended levels of strength throughout all branches; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29801/23]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 186 and 189 together.

As at 31 May 2023, the strength of the Permanent Defence Forces was 7,764 personnel comprised of 6,305 Army personnel, 704 Air Corps personnel and 755 Naval Service personnel.

I have previously acknowledged the current staffing difficulties in the Defence Forces and, to counter these, there are a number of recruitment and retention initiatives currently under way.

I can assure the Deputy that 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.

My immediate focus is on stabilising the numbers of personnel in the Defence Forces and thereafter increasing strength to meet the agreed level of ambition arising from the report of the Commission on the Defence Forces.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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187. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the extent to which updating of training procedures continues within the Defence Forces at all levels; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29799/23]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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188. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the extent to which part-time members of the Defence Forces are given opportunities to upgrade their skills; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29800/23]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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I presume the Deputy is referring to the Army Reserve and Naval Service Reserve in his question.

Members of the Army Reserve and Naval Service Reserve are volunteers who undertake training in their spare time. In order to facilitate the voluntary nature of Reserve Service and to maximise attendance of Reserve personnel, training continues to be organised both in and out of normal working hours, at weekends and during academic and traditional holiday periods.

The primary function of training and education in both the Permanent Defence Force and the Reserve Defence Force is to develop and maintain capabilities necessary to enable personnel to fulfil the roles laid down by Government. The scheduling of training in the Defence Forces, including the Reserve, is underpinned by an analysis of training needed to meet operational output requirements and capability development needs. In addition, the Commission on the Defence Forces Report sets out a developmental path for the Reserve and confirms that the primary role of the Reserve has been to augment the PDF in crisis situations and will now also include the utilisation of the RDF on a voluntary basis, on-island and overseas in support of the PDF, where it is in the best interests of the PDF.

For the current year, a budget of €2.15 million is provided, of which €2.068 million is allocated for Paid Training days for members of the Reserve. Within this budget, seven days annual paid training is provided for in respect of each effective member of the Reserve. The budget also provides for fourteen days paid training for all additional personnel recruited to the Reserve in 2023 along with career and specialist courses for selected members of the Reserve in line with Reserve priorities. This provision is sufficient having regard to the existing strength of the RDF and the voluntary nature of Reserve training.

I am satisfied that members of the Amy Reserve and Naval Service Reserve are afforded the opportunity to avail of training and update their skills on an ongoing basis.

The Deputy will also be aware that as part of taking forward recommendations in the Report from the Commission on the Defence Forces, a Regeneration Plan to revitalise the RDF is under preparation and will have due regard to other recommendations in that Report, relating to the RDF.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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190. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the extent to which equipment in the Army, Naval Service and Air Corps continues to be upgraded through the standards equal to the best; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29802/23]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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My priority as Minister for Defence is to ensure that the operational capability of the Army, Air Corps and Naval Service is maintained and developed. This is to enable the Defence Forces to carry out the roles assigned by Government. Equipment priorities for the Army, Air Corps and Naval Service are considered in the context of the established capability development and Equipment Development Planning (EDP) processes. Further additions to the EDP are currently under consideration, including in the context of the Government’s decision to move to a higher level of ambition, known as LOA2, and in light of specific recommendations, associated with a move to LOA2, made in the report of the Commission on the Defence Forces last year.

Work on capital investment in aircraft continues with the recent placing of a contract with Airbus at a cost of €72 million, including VAT, for a military transport aircraft for the Defence Forces. The Airbus C295W aircraft is highly versatile and will provide a dedicated asset to support the Defence Forces military airlift transport requirements and provide a wide contingent capability. The aircraft will enable the Air Corps to provide a wide range of services including logistics support and transport of troops and equipment, medical evacuation and air ambulance, Special Operations Forces operations and a general utility role. Delivery of this aircraft is expected in 2025.

The programme for the supply of two C295 Maritime Patrol Aircraft is nearing completion with delivery of the first aircraft expected in the coming week and the second aircraft is due in Q3 2023. Projects for other Air Corps capabilities will be considered in the context of overall capability development and available funding in accordance with the planning processes.

Marine advisors have been appointed by my Department to support the procurement of a Multi-Role Vessel (MRV) to replace the now decommissioned former flagship LÉ Eithne. This work is underway and will inform a public tender competition, in line with the Public Spending Code, in due course.

The two Inshore Patrol Vessels (IPVs), purchased from the New Zealand government last year to replace the now decommissioned LÉ Orla and LÉ Ciara, were transported to Ireland following a year long project to regenerate and modify the vessels. Following their arrival in Cork, the IPVs will undergo a comprehensive programme of works including crew familiarisation and training. Projects for other Naval Service capabilities will be considered in the context of overall capability development and available funding in accordance with established planning processes.

Projects for the Army are being considered in the context of capability development and available funding against the backdrop of the overall Equipment Development Plan process. There has been significant investment in recent years in the armoured fleet of vehicles with the enhancement of force protection and mobility with the mid-life refit of the MOWAG Piranha III vehicles project nearing completion and the delivery of Armoured Utility Vehicles. These projects have seen the integration of cutting edge technology and equipment into the vehicles. Technology is an enabler of modern military forces and a Software Defined Radio Project which is the next generation communications system for the Defence Forces is currently in the marketplace. This complex project is being designed and customised to meet the Defence Forces' requirements and to incorporate systems and equipment platforms, it will support the joint common operational picture.

The Department of Defence has received a capital allocation under the National Development Plan of €566 million over the 2022 to 2025 timeframe. The Defence annual capital budget for 2023 is €176 million. The recent Budget for 2023 included an increase of €67m over the 2022 budget for Defence. This includes an almost 25% increase in Capital funding and demonstrates 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 threats.

This is following Government approval for a move over a six-year period to a level of Defence Forces’ capability equivalent to ‘Level of Ambition 2’ (LOA2), as set out in the capability framework devised by the Commission on Defence Forces, which will entail funding increases to reach a Defence budget of approximately €1.5 billion (at January 2022 prices) by 2028 through the annual Estimates.

This level of capital funding will allow the Defence Organisation to undertake a phased planned programme of sustained equipment and infrastructural development across the Army, Air Corps and Naval Service as identified and prioritised in the Defence White Paper and the Report of the Commission, while building on the significant investment programme over recent years.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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191. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the extent of the numbers of women applying for and enlisting in the Defence Forces, with equal respect to the Army, Naval Service and Air Corps; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29803/23]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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The table below sets out the number of women who applied for, and the number that were inducted into, the Army, Air Corps and Naval Service as at 31 May 2023.

The Government remains committed to a policy of equal opportunity for men and women throughout the Defence Forces and to the full participation by women in all aspects of Defence Forces activities. In that regard, a number of initiatives are already in place with a view to increasing the level of female participation with special consideration being paid to women as a target group for recruitment.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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192. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the extent to which he remains satisfied that the Army, Naval Service and Air Corps remain sufficiently equipped to deal with any emergency or natural disaster that might arise; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29804/23]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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My priority as Minister for Defence is to ensure that the operational capability of the Defence Forces is maintained to enable the Army, Air Corps and Naval Service to carry out their roles as assigned by Government.

The Defence Organisation provides a broad range of services in accordance with its primary security role while it also undertakes a diverse range of non security related tasks. The Defence Forces continue to carry out the roles assigned by Government, including security operations, critical supports to An Garda Síochána and ATCA supports to other Government Departments and Principal Response Agencies.

At national level, representation on the Government Task Force on Emergency Planning by both the Department of Defence and the Defence Forces ensures the fullest coordination and cooperation in the event of an emergency.

In accordance with the Framework for Major Emergency Management, primary responsibility for responding to emergencies such as severe weather events or terrorist attacks rests with the three designated principal response agencies, namely, the relevant local authority, An Garda Síochána, and the Health Service Executive. The Defence Forces provides assistance within means to the appropriate Lead Department or Principal Response Agency in the event of a natural disaster or an emergency situation in its Aid to the Civil Authority (ATCA) and Aid to the Civil Power (ATCP) roles. Major Emergency Plans have been developed by local and regional authorities and these Plans identify the procedures for requesting assistance from the Defence Forces.

The Defence Forces retain a wide range of specialist skills and equipment which are available for deployment in response to any emergencies that may arise. Training is also an important aspect of maintaining the necessary capabilities in the Defence Forces. The Defence Forces deliver military training programmes and modules meeting national and international standards. They also engage with external educational institutions in order to facilitate organisational learning. This engagement with national and international educational institutions, military and civilian, aims to ensure that the Defence Forces retain currency with regards to best international practice and employ all relevant modern training methods.

I am committed to ensuring that the personnel of the Defence Forces continue to be equipped and trained to best international standards and I can confirm that the Defence Forces keep their operational plans and response capabilities for dealing with a wide range of threats and emergencies under constant review. I am satisfied that the Defence Forces are equipped to respond, as appropriate, to any such events were they to occur in this State.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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193. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the number of vacant posts remaining to be filled at all levels in the Army, Naval Service and Air Corps; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29805/23]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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The tables below outline the variance between current strength and the establishment strength, by rank, within the Army, Air Corps and the Naval Service as at 31 May 2023, the latest date for which such information is available.

Vacancies are filled in line with promotional arrangements, as appropriate, and by recruitment.

I have previously acknowledged the staffing difficulties in the Defence Forces, and work is ongoing to counter these. In that regard, my immediate focus is on stabilising the numbers of personnel in the Defence Forces and thereafter increasing strength to meet the agreed level of ambition arising from the report of the Commission on the Defence Forces.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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194. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the total number of Irish military personnel serving at various locations overseas; the level of future deployments, if known; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29806/23]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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As of 1 June 2023, Ireland is contributing 522 personnel to 9 different missions throughout the world. The main overseas missions in which Defence Forces personnel are currently deployed are the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) with 319 personnel and the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) in Syria with 135 personnel. Ireland also contributes observers and staff to various United Nations and OSCE missions and personnel to staff appointments at UN, EU, NATO/PfP and OSCE headquarters.

Ireland has always been a strong supporter of the United Nations and UN Peacekeeping. Our commitment and support for the primary role of the United Nations, in the maintenance of international peace and security, is expressed in Ireland's long-standing tradition of participating in UN peacekeeping operations. This commitment is also expressed in our engagement in the EU's Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP).

The Department of Defence and the Defence Forces jointly review the deployment of Defence Forces personnel on an ongoing basis. Ireland receives requests from time to time in relation to participating in various missions and these are considered on a case-by-case basis. The changing nature of demands and potential future mission profiles need to be considered in the context of assets and capabilities which can be made available by the Defence Forces for overseas deployment, given existing operational demands at home and overseas.

Full details of all personnel currently serving in missions overseas are listed below.

MEMBERS OF THE PERMANENT DEFENCE FORCE SERVING OVERSEAS

As of 1 June 2023