Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 20 and 42 together.

The ongoing staffing challenges in the Defence Forces with regard to recruitment and retention are fully acknowledged and well documented. In this, we are no different to other international militaries who, in a competitive labour market, are also experiencing similar difficulties.

The immediate focus for me as Minister for Defence is on stabilising the numbers of personnel, and to facilitate capacity for further increases.

In light of the Commission on the Defence Forces (CoDF) Report and the Report of the Independent Review (IRG) Group, I have prioritised a significant programme of reform and culture change within the Defence Forces to ensure that it is an equal opportunities employer, reflective of contemporary Irish society and providing a work-place underpinned by dignity, equality and mutual respect.

The Strategic Framework for the Transformation of the Defence Forces, which I published last September, sets out clear targets for the vital work that is underway relating to the transformation of the Defence Forces and outlines the necessary actions to be delivered by the end of 2024.

A number of specific actions in the area of retention have already been delivered:-

• Significant progress on pay in recent years;
• The recent changes to Patrol Duty Allowance to incentivise sea-going in the Naval Service;
• The extension of a Naval Service personnel tax credit for one further year;
• Commissioning from the ranks and the re-entry of former Permanent Defence Force personnel with specific skills;
• The extension of private healthcare to all ranks in the Defence Forces;
• Access to free medical, physiotherapy and dental care;
• Provision of fitness, training and sports facilities across its installations;
• Provision of fully funded opportunities to continue education to gain professional and academic qualifications;
• Progress on the 2023-2027 Defence Forces Infrastructure Development Plan (IDP) with the highest level of financial resources in the State’s history;
• A revised policy on maternity and protected leave which is fully aligned with national legislation
• A new policy on grooming standards
• The removal of the blanket exemption for the Defence Forces, from the provisions of the Organisation of Working time Act. A final management position was approved by me on 2 February. I recently met with the Representative Associations to discuss that position and formal engagement is now commencing with the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment (DETE) who will lead on the development of the appropriate legislative mechanism.
• The implementation of a range of work-life balance and 'harmony' initiatives.

In addition and more recently, I announced that with effect from 29 March 2024, the mandatory retirement age will extend to 60 years, for all ranks that currently have a mandatory retirement age below this age.

Further measures that are also being progressed include:-

• A Review of Medical Services in the Defence Forces, with the review itself being progressed during 2024.
• Associate membership of ICTU for the Representative Associations to be underpinned by legislation.
• In a further effort to increase the potential to attract specialist expertise in key technical positions, an increase to 50 years in the maximum age of recruitment for relevant Direct Entry Officer competitions is being progressed.

I would like to assure the Deputy that the recruitment and retention of Defence Forces Personnel continues to be a key priority for me and this is demonstrated by the priorities I have set out in the Strategic Framework.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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The European Union Military Committee (EUMC) is the highest military body within the EU. It is composed of the Chiefs of Defence (CHODs) of the EU's Member States who, on a day to day basis, are represented in Brussels by the Military Representatives from the Permanent Representations of the Member States to the EU.

The Government has agreed to nominate Lt. Gen. Clancy as a candidate for the position of Chair of the EUMC, to follow the completion of the term of the current occupant, Austrian General Robert Breiger. This will be the second time that Ireland has nominated a Chair of the EUMC, following the previous unsuccessful nomination of Vice Admiral Mark Mellet, and demonstrates Ireland’s commitment to the EU at this important time, particularly in light of the more volatile security and defence environment resulting from Russia’s ongoing aggression against Ukraine. In addition to Austria, a number of other neutral countries have held the Chair of the EUMC over the years.

There is no cost to the State associated with the nomination and costs around the campaign will be expected to be limited to travel within the EU that the Chief of Staff may chose to undertake to meet with his counterparts in advance of the election on the 15th May. Should the Chief of Staff be successful in being elected as Chair of the EUMC, additional costs will arise in terms of providing a suitable residence, transport, and the applicable overseas allowances for the C/EUMC along with accommodation costs and allowances for deployed support personnel.

The detail of these costs will be worked out in consultation with the Department of Foreign Affairs, and with the Department of Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform in the context of the Estimates process in relation to the required operational supports and arrangements.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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The White Paper on Defence published in 2015 set out the Government intention to put in place a new fixed cycle of defence reviews. Such reviews are common practice internationally and give reassurance that policy remains up to date and relevant to changing future circumstances.

The White Paper set out that every three years there will be a White Paper update that would consider progress made up to that time and consider any revisions required with each alternative three-year review in the cycle being more comprehensive in nature and to be styled a Strategic Defence Review. This new review process also informs strategy statement preparation.

The first of these reviews, the White Paper Update was published in 2019. The second of these reviews, the Strategic Defence Review stage, was due to commence in 2021. With the establishment of the independent Commission on the Defence Forces by Government in December 2020, a decision was taken to pause commencing the Strategic Defence Review until the Commission on the Defence Forces had completed their report and Government had been given time to consider the report.

The Detailed Implementation Plan for the Report of the Commission on the Defence Forces published in November 2023 is a further important step on this journey and builds on the publication of the Commission Report itself in February 2022, the High Level Action Plan in July 2022 and the Early Actions Update published in March 2023. This plan sets out an ambitious programme of work to move to ‘Level of Ambition 2’ (LOA 2) by 2028 and the significant and fundamental change for the Defence Forces that will be delivered across the Commission’s recommendations

One of the Early Actions identified in the High-Level Action Plan was the commencement of a Strategic Defence Review as part of the regular defence review process set out in the White Paper.

The first stage of this review has been the preparation of a revised security environment assessment (SEA) conducted by an interdepartmental working group and addresses the significant security environment changes since the invasion of Ukraine. This assessment has informed the overall policy requirements, associated tasks, capability development and resourcing as part of the Strategic Defence Review.

The Department of Defence, together with the Department of Foreign Affairs, co-hosted a Consultative Forum on International Security in June 2023. The Forum built a deeper understanding of the threats faced by the State, and the links to, and between, our foreign, security and defence policy. It also provided an opportunity to examine the experiences and policy choices of other partners in responding to the new security environment in Europe.

As well as encompassing the Governments agreed recommendations from the Commission on the Defence Forces and the Independent Review Group, the Strategic Defence Review will consider the reflections of the Consultative Forum on International Security and the future role of the Defence Forces both nationally and internationally.

A draft of the Strategic Defence review will be submitted to me in the coming weeks for my consideration and following this a final version will be brought to Cabinet.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 23, 40 and 44 together.

In 2022, the Government approved the recommendations of the Commission on the Defence Forces (CODF). One of these recommendations was to move, over a six-year period, to a level of Defence Forces’ capability that would require an additional 2,000 personnel, including a civilian component, beyond the 9,500 Permanent Defence Force (PDF) establishment figure that was in place at the time of the Commission’s report.

Since that time, the establishment figure has been increased to 9,589 to facilitate the implementation of all the Commission’s recommendations, with these additional positions being filled by promotion and redeployment. The Detailed Implementation Plan for the Commission’s recommendations was published on 21 November 2023.

The strength of the PDF, as at 31 January 2024 the latest date for which such figures are available, stood at 7,504 personnel. I have acknowledged the current staffing difficulties previously and I have instructed the military authorities that additional enlisted personnel and Cadets be recruited in 2024 beyond the initial projected induction figure proposed. An allocation of €1.23 billion for the Defence Sector in Budget 2024, which includes a provision for the recruitment and training of at least a net additional 400 enlisted personnel in 2024, will assist in this regard.

There are a number of recruitment initiatives currently underway including ongoing general service and direct entry recruitment, the re-entry schemes, the engagement of a Marketing and Media partner to assist with recruitment advertising and the 'Be More' recruitment campaign. Additionally, the establishment of the Joint Induction Training Centre in Gormanston will, when fully operational, increase the training capacity for recruits.

In relation to the Naval Service, there has been a Naval Service specific advertising campaign and psychometric testing was paused for 12 months from June 2023 to gauge the impact on numbers of successful candidates. A specialist marine recruitment body has been contracted to target individuals with specific skills and expertise required by the Naval Service.

External recruitment expertise was engaged to validate the recruitment process into the Permanent Defence Force with a particular focus on the Naval Service. The recently submitted report, with detailed recommendations, is being considered.

Furthermore, Government recently agreed to increase the maximum retirement age for PDF personnel to 60 years. This retention measure also facilitates an increase in the maximum recruitment age to 39 years for General Service Recruits, Cadets and certain specialists with effect from 29 March 2024.

A range of other retention measures, financial and non-financial, have also been introduced by Government such as a new Naval Service Patrol Duty allowance which doubles the previous allowance, the Air Corps service commitment scheme, tax measures and the extension of the provision of private secondary healthcare to all members of the PDF, in addition to significant progress on pay.