Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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The 2024 Revised Estimates Volume (REV) provides an allocation of €1.25 billion in Defence Group funding, an increase of €40 million over 2023. The Defence Vote Group includes the Defence and Army Pensions Votes. The allocations for 2024 are €933 million for the Defence Vote and €317 million for the Army Pensions Vote. This significant level of funding will further enable progress on the transformation of the Defence Forces in line with the objectives and timeframes outlined in the Defence Strategic Framework, published last September.

The increased current expenditure allocation of €757 million on the Defence Vote will not only address existing spending pressures across many operational areas, but will also include targeted funding for a number of key recommendations arising from the CODF and the IRG, such as:

• An increased Defence Forces Medical Healthcare allocation to cover the full year costs of extended healthcare to all Defence Forces personnel;
• A significant provision specifically to meet the 2024 costs of the Tribunal of Inquiry arising from the IRG Report;
• A significant increase in the advertising allocation to support an enhanced Defence Forces recruitment effort throughout 2024;
• An increased Civilian Support allocation to facilitate further progression of civilian recruitment and to also allow for an increased spend on the essential engagement of external expertise and services.

The Permanent Defence Force pay and allowances budget of €493 million will be used to meet the ongoing pay and allowance costs of a Permanent Defence Force (PDF) strength of 7,700 and will also facilitate the recruitment of an additional net 400 PDF personnel throughout 2024.

Recruitment and retention of personnel is a key priority for me. My Department has progressed a number of activities relating to recruitment and retention and related HR issues in the Defence Forces, including, inter alia, commissioning from the ranks, extending service limits for Privates, Corporals and Sergeants, increasing the mandatory retirement age for PDF personnel to 60, raising the maximum recruitment age to 39 and doubling the Patrol Duty Allowance payable to eligible Naval Service personnel after 10 days at sea.

I believe that these positive, progressive measures are providing further support to the ongoing PDF recruitment and retention effort, which remains challenging in a buoyant economy.

As you are aware, Minister Donohoe recently published revised multi-annual capital spending allocations across Departments out to 2026 to facilitate the progression of key capital projects and programmes under the 2021-30 National Development Plan (NDP). For Defence, this will see the capital allocation rise from its 2024 level of €176 million to €215 million in 2025 and €220 million in 2026, a level of increase which will bring the Defence allocation to its highest ever level.

This level of capital investment will progress the strategically important development of primary radar capabilities, and will also facilitate investment in, inter alia, the Defence Forces communications systems, military transport aircraft, force protection equipment, transport vehicles, military engineering equipment and ICT projects. It will also enable continued investment in enhancing and upgrading Defence Forces installations throughout the country.

The Defence Vote also provides funding for Civil Defence, Irish Red Cross Society and the Reserve Defence Force.

The 2024 Army Pensions (Vote 35) allocation of €317 million will provide funding for 13,475 Army Pensioners and certain dependants.

All expenditure within my Department is profiled and monitored closely and I’m satisfied that the funding allocation provided to the Defence Vote Group for 2024 will enable the Defence Forces to deliver effectively on all its key domestic and international responsibilities, while also allowing considerable progress on the transformation agenda underway throughout the Defence Forces.