Réada Cronin (Kildare North, Sinn Fein)
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173.To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence his views on the clear need for a separate, dedicated Minister for Defence, without amalgamated roles, titles and portfolios; and if he will make a statement on the matter.[35951/24]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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I wish to advise the Deputy, that the appointment of Ministers is a matter for the Taoiseach, and the Taoiseach alone.

There is a Constitutional limit of fifteen on the number of ministers that can be appointed; there are currently eighteen government departments, which means that it is not constitutionally possible to have one standalone Minister for each Department.

It is necessary, in a small number of cases, to have Ministers responsible for more than one Department; the Department of Defence is one such Department.

Insofar as it necessary to have Ministers sharing responsibility for more than one Department, there is a logic in having the same Minister responsible for the Departments of Defence and Foreign Affairs, as is the case, given the obvious crossover between the responsibilities of my two Departments and the considerable interaction between them.

I am a very active Minister for Defence closely involved in all aspects of the Department’s activities; with daily direction and insight. To put this in to context I am currently overseeing major transformation of Defence sector, supported by the largest increase in Defence funding in the history of the State.

Ultimately, it will be a matter for the Taoiseach after the next election to decide whether or not to appoint a standalone Minister for Defence.