Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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In December 2023, the Government approved the drafting of the Defence (Amendment) Bill 2023.

It is intended that this Bill will provide for various amendments to be made to the Defence Acts 1954 to 2015, one of which will be to provide for the protection of the term “Óglaigh na hÉireann”.

This proposed amendment reflects the central aim of the Private Member’s Bill (“The Defence (Restriction on Use of Certain Titles) Bill 2021”) which was introduced into the Seanad by Senator Malcolm Byrne.

The purpose of the amendment will be to provide that it shall be an offence for a person without the authority of the Minister for Defence to use the term ‘Óglaigh na hÉireann’ or any words closely resembling this term, as the name, title or description, or styling of any organisation, group, association or body, or as part of the name, title, description or styling of any organisation, group, association or body. A person who commits an offence under this section shall be liable on summary conviction to a class D fine. Any such offence may be prosecuted by the Minister for Defence in accordance with section 7 of the Defence Act 1954.

The drafting of the Defence (Amendment) Bill 2023 is being progressed in conjunction with the Office of Parliamentary Counsel.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 31 and 50 together.

The Commission on the Defence Forces was established on foot of a commitment in the Programme for Government and the Government decision in December 2020 which also agreed its terms of reference and membership. The report was published on the 9th February 2022.

The Commission undertook a significant body of work, encompassing wide-ranging terms of reference. It recommended significant changes for the Defence Forces and Defence provision in Ireland. It covers high level Defence Forces structures, defence capabilities, organisation, culture and human resources, the Reserve Defence Force and funding.

In July 2022, the Government approved a High-Level Action Plan in response to the Commission report. As part of this, approval was given 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, which will entail funding increases to reach a defence budget of c. €1.5 billion (at January 2022 prices) by 2028 through the annual Estimates process.

Implementation structures have been put in place encompassing an Implementation Oversight Group, a High-Level Steering Board and an Implementation Management Office (IMO) to support the implementation of the overall transformation programme required to implement recommendations from the report of the Commission on the Defence Forces.

There are a number of recommendations contained in the report which may impact on the structure of the Defence Forces including that the structure of the Army be reviewed, and in that context, the disposition of Units across the Defence Forces may be considered.

The recommendation, that the structure of the Army be reviewed, was identified as an Early Action in the High Level Action Plan. However, no decisions on the future disposition or locations of Defence Forces formations, installations and personnel have been made at this time. In keeping with the recommendations of the Commission on the Defence Forces, military authorities are progressing the establishment of an office of Army Force Design which will undertake the work required to give effect to this recommendation.

An Army Force Design Team has been established with a Colonel Rank in the lead with initial supporting staff appointed and tasked to progress post-phase one planning.

Currently there are no plans to consider the Dún Uí Néill site in Cavan as a forward operating base, it is currently being used by Cavan and Monaghan Education and Training Board.

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, and Ireland takes part in a range of EU initiatives in this regard.

In October 2023, the EU approved its revised EU maritime security strategy (EUMSS) and action plan, aimed at addressing security challenges at sea. Together, the two documents provide a comprehensive framework for tackling various threats and challenges at sea. 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 EU Member States 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, and has availed of opportunities provided by our membership of the EU’s Common Security & Defence policy in this regard, such as taking part in the following:

• the existing European naval maritime surveillance information-sharing network EDA MARSUR Project
• the Greek led PESCO project “Upgrade of Maritime Surveillance’ which aims to enhance maritime situational awareness
• 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 also observing on the PESCO project on 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.

Another PESCO project Ireland is observing on is Harbour & Maritime Surveillance and Protection (HARMSPRO) which aims to implement a deployable integrated capability system for the continuous protection of vessels, harbours and any other littoral and offshore critical infrastructure able to properly prevent and counter asymmetric (drones included) threats in a three-dimensional environment.

My Department is also working to transpose the new European Directive on the Resilience of Critical Entities. This work will enhance the resilience of critical entities that provide services essential for vital societal functions. In advance of the enactment of this Directive and because of the increased threat to critical infrastructure, the Department of Defence has worked with the Department of Environment, Climate and Communications and energy operators to stress test critical infrastructure in the energy sector in Ireland against man-made threats.

Ireland will of course continue to review existing and future opportunities that may arise via our membership of the European Union in terms of addressing challenges identified.