Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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The EU and its Member States, including Ireland, have significant strategic interests in identifying and addressing security challenges linked to the coastal defence.

In October 2023, the EU approved the revised EU maritime security strategy (EUMSS) and action plan, aimed at addressing security challenges at sea. The strategy and its accompanying action plan were first adopted by the Council in 2014, with the action plan being updated in 2018.

Together, the two documents provide a comprehensive framework for tackling various threats and challenges at sea. The aim of the revision in 2018, to which Ireland contributed, is to ensure that the EU has a wide range of effective tools at its disposal to address new and evolving security threats and challenges. The revised strategy provides a framework for the EU to take further action to protect its interests at sea, and to protect its citizens, values and economy, also in the light of Russia’s unjustified and unprovoked military aggression against Ukraine.

The revised strategy and its action plan have also been aligned with recent EU policy frameworks and instruments, such as the Strategic Compass for Security and Defence. On the basis of the updated EU Maritime Security Strategy, the Strategic Compass aims to, by 2025, further develop and strengthen the EU’s maritime security awareness mechanisms such as the Common Information Sharing Environment (CISE) and Maritime Surveillance (MARSUR) to advance interoperability, facilitate decision-making and support increased operational effectiveness. It also aims to further increase the visibility of our naval presence within and beyond the EU, including through port calls, training and exercises as well as capacity building.

While defence remains a national competence, Ireland sees the value in Member States’ national maritime activities voluntarily feeding into greater EU cooperation and adding value where possible. Ireland is a member of the existing European naval maritime surveillance information-sharing network EDA MARSUR Project and is a participant on the Greek led PESCO project “Upgrade of Maritime Surveillance’ which aims to enhance maritime situational awareness, Ireland also participates in the Belgian led PESCO project Maritime (Semi) Autonomous Systems for Mine Counter-Measures (MAS-MCM) which aims to deliver a high level collaboration and delivery of semi-autonomous underwater, surface and aerial technologies which can be used in a Mine Counter-Measures role. Ireland is observing on the PESCO project Critical Seabed Infrastructure Protection which aims to increase the EU’s operational efficiency in the protection of critical maritime infrastructure protection by making best use of current, and the development of future, underwater assets.

Given my regular engagement in EU discussions on the matter of Maritime Security and the extensive range of activities with which Ireland is closely and actively involved, I do not see a need to request specific additional European Union assistance towards Ireland’s coastal security.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 129, 130 and 134 together.

Responsibility for the prevention crime, including human trafficking rests primarily with An Garda Síochána, while overall responsibility for the prevention of drug trafficking rests primarily with the Customs Service of the Revenue Commissioners.

The White Paper on Defence (2015) reaffirms the security role carried out by the Defence Forces in support of this important work.

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, a contract with Airbus has been placed 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. In addition, a competitive process to acquire a new mid sized aircraft for Ministerial Air Transport has just been published on the Official Journal of the European Union platform.

The programme for the supply of two C295 Maritime Patrol Aircraft has now been completed, following the delivery of the first aircraft in June and the second last month. 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.

The two Inshore Patrol Vessels, purchased from New Zealand to replace LÉ Orla and LÉ Ciara, are expected to become fully operational during 2024 following a comprehensive programme of works, including crew familiarisation and training. Marine advisors have been appointed by my Department to support the procurement of a Multi-Role Vessel (MRV), as provided for in the Government's National Development Plan, and work is progressing in line with the steps in the Public Spending Code. 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 Defence allocation is determined within an overarching budgetary framework which encompasses existing NDP multi-annual capital allocations and remains cognisant of the level of resources available, commensurate with defence policy requirements. It is within this context that the Estimates 2024 discussions took place with the Department of Public Expenditure NDP Delivery and Reform, to include full consideration of Defence capital investment priorities for 2024 and beyond. The Department of Defence has received a capital allocation of €176 million in Budget 2024. This level of capital funding allows 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 on the Defence Forces, while building on the significant investment programme over recent years.

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.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 131 and 136 together.

The military authorities advise that as at the end of October 2023, the number of personnel in the Defence Forces stood at 7,595. 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 underway. These include ongoing general service and direct entry recruitment, the re-entry schemes, the 'Be More' recruitment campaign, significant progress on basic pay, and the rollout of private medical care to all ranks.

I also recently announced the new Naval Service Patrol Duty Allowance to be introduced from 1 January 2024. This allowance will consolidate the current Patrol Duty Allowance and Sea Going Service Commitment scheme.

In other actions, a Joint Induction Training Centre has been established in Gormanston, with a view to increasing the throughput of recruits, the maximum age of entry has been increased to 29 years for General Service recruits, Cadets, apprentices, and certain specialists, and fitness test scoring has been amended to maximise induction levels. External HR expertise has also been engaged to validate Defence Forces recruitment efforts and a marine specialist recruitment body has been contracted to target individuals with the skills and expertise required by the Naval Service.

My priority as Minister for Defence is to ensure that the operational capability of the Defence Forces is maintained to the greatest extent possible to enable the Army, Air Corps and Naval Service to carry out their roles as assigned by Government.

My immediate focus is on stabilising the numbers of personnel, and to facilitate capacity for further increases. This will enable us to align ultimately with the level of ambition recommended in the report of the Commission on the Defence Forces, and agreed by Government.