Paul Donnelly (Dublin West, Sinn Fein)
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224. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the estimated amount spent on purchasing specialist fire appliances for the Defence Forces fire services in each of the years of 2023, 2024 and to date in 2025, in tabular form. [9580/25]

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

Capability priorities (including replacement capabilities as they near end of life) for the Army, Air Corps and Naval Service are considered in the context of the capability development planning processes which includes both a rolling Equipment Development Plan (EDP) and a Built Infrastructure Programme.

The current number of Defence Forces (DF) firefighting vehicles numbers is eight (8). There are two old firefighting vehicles that are out of service and will be disposed of accordingly.

The make-up of the current operational fleet of firefighting vehicles across the three services Army, Navy, and Air Corps is as follows:

There was no expenditure on new fire appliances from 2023 to date.

The expected service life of these types of appliances is 15-20 years. I am satisfied that the Defence Forces continue to have the necessary modern and effective range of equipment available to them in order to fulfil all roles assigned to them by Government.

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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225. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence if he will provide the establishment figures for the permanent Defence Forces in each of the years 2000 to 2014, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9695/25]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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The military authorities have provided the requested establishment figures for the years 2000 to 2014 inclusive for the Permanent Defence Force (PDF) which are set out in the table below.

As the Deputy is aware, in July 2022 the Government approved a move over a six-year period, to ‘Level of Ambition 2’ (LOA2), as set out in the capability framework devised by the Commission on the Defence Forces. The achievement of LOA2 envisages an increase in the establishment of the Permanent Defence Force to 11,500 by 2028, to include a civilian component.

Working towards this target, Budget 2025 provided a record allocation of €1.35 billion for the Defence Sector, an increase of €100 million. This allocation includes funding for the recruitment of a net additional 400 personnel per annum, at a minimum.

Significant progress has been made on a number of fronts in addressing recruitment and retention challenges, and 2024 saw a stabilisation of the downward trend in numbers. The allocation of record levels of expenditure to the Defence sector in conjunction with the policy initiatives currently in train is indicative of Government’s commitment in this regard.

PDF Establishment by year from 2000 to 2014

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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226. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the number of bed spaces available in the Defence Forces system; the number currently occupied; the number not in regular use; the number capable of being made useable; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9696/25]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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The policy of providing Married Quarters to serving Defence Forces personnel was discontinued back in the 1990's and was phased out over a number of years. Accommodation, know as Single-Living-In accommodation, is provided where same is required for training and operational purposes. Such accommodation is managed directly by the Defence Forces at the Brigade level and the assignment of such accommodation is a matter for the military authorities. As such the details requested by the Deputy cannot provided in the time allowed. However, I have instructed my officials to collate this data from the Defence Forces and provide it directly to the Deputy when available.

Louis O'Hara (Galway East, Sinn Fein)
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227. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence if he will revisit the decision to not award medals to veterans of the Siege of Jadotville; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9768/25]

Erin McGreehan (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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228. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence his plans to recognise each of the 33 Irish soldiers recommended for medals following their heroic stand in the Siege of Jadotville, Congo, in 1961. [9786/25]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 227 and 228 together.

Given the continued interest in the events of 1961, a review was conducted in 2004 by military officers for the purpose of a broader examination of the Jadotville case. This Board recommended that the events of Jadotville and the contribution of the 35th Battalion be given recognition. In this context, a number of events have taken place to commemorate the Siege of Jadotville, and to honour the very significant contribution of “A” Company and of the 35th Battalion, as a whole, to the UN Peace Support Mission in the Congo. These included:

• A presentation of scrolls was made to "A" Company in 2006.
• Portraits of Lt Col McNamee (35th Battalion Commander) and Comdt Quinlan (Company Commander “A” Company) were commissioned in 2006.
• A highly publicised and well attended event was held in July 2010 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the first deployment to the Congo in Casement Aerodrome, Baldonnel.
• A nominal roll of “A” Company, printed in copper, was affixed to the monument in Custume Barracks and was unveiled as part of the 50th Anniversary of the Jadotville affair in September 2011.
• On the occasion of the 55th anniversary of the Siege of Jadotville, a Unit Citation to honour the collective actions and bravery of the men of “A” Company was issued. This was the first time a Unit Citation was awarded within the Defence Forces.

Notwithstanding the actions that had been taken to recognise and honour the valiant actions and bravery of all of the men stationed at Jadotville over sixty years ago, an Independent Review Group (IRG) was established in 2021 to examine and report on matters relating to recommendations for military medals. It reported in full in July 2021, and made a number of recommendations in respect of the issue of award of medals, honouring the role of families and the support they provided to veterans.

In response to the views received from the veterans’ associations, a substantial monument honouring the families was commissioned, to be placed at the site of the existing memorial honouring the personnel of ‘A’ Company, 35 Infantry Battalion in Custume Barracks Athlone. This monument was unveiled by the Minister for Defence on 9th December 2022 at Custume Barracks, Athlone.

In respect of the award of medals, the IRG (Jadotville) recommended the following:

1. That a medal process be initiated, without delay, for the consideration of a recommendation of a posthumous award of the Distinguished Service Medal for Comdt Pat Quinlan;
2. That the deliberations, findings and recommendations of the 1961, 1962 and 1965 Medals Boards should not be reopened;
3. That none of the other thirty-three members of ‘A’ Company 35 Infantry Battalion, who were previously the subject of a recommendation for an award in respect of Jadotville, should be reconsidered for a recommendation for a medal; and
4. With the exception of Comdt Pat Quinlan, none of the remaining 123 individuals of ‘A’ Company, 35 Infantry Battalion, who were not previously the subject of a recommendation for an award in respect of Jadotville, should be considered for a recommendation for a medal.