Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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162. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the status of the promised legislation to establish the External Oversight Body of the Defence Forces on a statutory basis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42556/23]

Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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163. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence for an update on the work of the non-statutory External Oversight Body of the Defence Forces; if he has received any reports from the body to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42557/23]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 162 and 163 together.

The report of the Independent Review Group (IRG) established to examine dignity and equality issues in the Defence Forceswas published following Government approval on 28 March 2023. The Government agreed to progress the recommendations in the Report and this included the immediate establishment, on a non-statutory basis initially, of the External Oversight Body of the Defence Forces. This Body, chaired by Professor Brían MacCraith, is a critical element to driving the necessary culture change throughout the Defence Forces and to increase transparency and accountability. The Government approved the Terms of Reference for the Body on 11 July last and it is my intention to bring forward legislation to put the Body on a statutory footing as soon as possible. Work in this regard is underway in my Department. It is also expected that the External Oversight Body will submit its first Report to me shortly.

Ivana Bacik (Dublin Bay South, Labour)
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164. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the amount spent on the commissioning of reports on matters pertaining to the Defence Forces in each of the years 2018 to 2022 and to date in 2023, in tabular form. [42562/23]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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The table below sets out amounts spent on the commissioning of reports on matters pertaining to the Defence Forces in each of the years 2018 to 2022 and to date in 2023.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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Ireland has a proud tradition of participation in UN and UN-authorised peace operations, as the only country with an unbroken record of service in UN peacekeeping missions since 1958. Our peacekeepers are recognised internationally for their expertise and experience.

In conjunction with their participation in peace support missions, the Irish Defence Forces have been involved in humanitarian activities overseas for many years. Irish Aid makes funding available towards the support of micro-project activities that are undertaken with the support of Irish Battalions.For example, in UNIFIL the Defence Forces have provided support to the orphanage at Tibnin, run medical clinics for local people, and have helped support water distribution and water purification projects. Such projects will continue to be at the core of the humanitarian support that Irish Defence Forces personnel provide during overseas peacekeeping operations.

Ireland is currently participating in the Deployable Disaster Relief Capability Package (DM-DR CP) PESCO project. The aim of this project is to enhance military capabilities in humanitarian relief, standardise training across all participating Member States and to provide an exchange of knowledge and expertise in the specialised areas of disaster relief.

In addition, Ireland’s engagement in Partnership for Peace (PfP) enables access to a number of working groups and training opportunities across a number of capabilities including climate change and security. Our engagement in PfP gives the Defence Forces access to best practices, education and lessons learned in relation to climate change and security.

As climate change contributes to increasingly extreme weather events, including storms and droughts, across the world, these will impact on the nature of peacekeeping tasks and the variety of activities peacekeeping missions and operations may be called upon to support, particularly as many current peacekeeping operations are located in climate stressed regions.

I believe that the populations of these affected areas are entitled to the humanitarian assistance and protection offered through international multilateralism including peacekeeping operations. Climate change is not identified as an impediment to assisting those less fortunate than ourselves.

Réada Cronin (Kildare North, Sinn Fein)
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166. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence to outline his investment plans for the adequate funding of the Defence Forces, that is, the Army, Naval Service and Air Corps, to meet the State’s defence and security needs in the 21st century and the capacity to provide appropriate intervention and assistance State-wide in situations of extreme weather and disruption caused by global warming; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30795/23]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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In July 2022, the Government approved a move to Level of Ambition 2 (LOA2), as recommended by the Commission on the Defence Forces. As part of that decision the Government committed to increasing the Defence budget from €1.1 billion to €1.5 billion by 2028, as part of the annual budgetary process. This level of investment will allow for the required transformation and investment in recruitment, equipment and infrastructure that was identified by the Commission as necessary to meet the State’s defence and security needs.

The Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery & Reform are responsible for overall public expenditure policy and strategy. The annual Defence budget allocation is determined within the overarching budgetary framework outlined each year by the Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery & Reform, and approved by Dáil Eireann having regard to the level of resources available and defence policy requirements. It is within this context that the annual Defence budget, for 2024 and subsequent years, will be determined, with the estimates process for 2024 currently underway.

For 2023, the total overall gross allocation provided to the Defence Vote Group, as set out in Budget 2023, is €1.21 billion, comprising of over €915 million on the Defence Vote and over €294 million on the Army Pensions Vote. This significant allocation represents an overall increase of €93 million on 2022 and comprises of an increase of €35 million in the capital allocation and €58 million in the current allocation across the Vote Group. Vote 36 - Defence is managed through a single programme with all operational outputs delivered from a single set of forces encompassing the Army, Air Corps and Naval Service. Accordingly, my Department does not allocate funding by domain.

The Defence Forces undertake a broad range of services in accordance with their primary security role. In addition, they also undertake a diverse range of non-security related tasks, provide critical supports to An Garda Síochána and support other Government Departments and Principal Response Agencies in responding to any extreme weather or other emergency events that can arise at any stage.

I am committed to ensuring that the personnel of the Defence Forces are equipped and trained to the highest attainable standards to facilitate an efficient, effective response to any national emergencies that arise 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.

The significant funding of €1.21 billion allocated to Defence in Budget 2023 enables the Defence Forces to provide an ongoing, flexible and effective response to a wide range of operational challenges, both at home and overseas and I remain satisfied that the Defence Forces will continue to respond in an effective and timely manner to requests for support from other Government Departments and Principal Response Agencies.