Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire (Cork South-Central, Sinn Fein)
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9. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the progress made on the implementation of the rulings of the adjudicator and arbitration board regarding the prohibition of the appointment holder of the director of military prosecutions from being a member of a representative association; if he will implement those rulings immediately by amending the relevant terms and conditions and regulation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31323/25]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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The Director of Military Prosecutions (DMP) is statutory position, provided for in the Defence Acts, and clearly distinguishable from other posts, at the rank of Colonel. Defence Force Regulation (DFR) 02/2020, provides that the holder of the post of Director of Military Prosecutions (DMP) cannot be a member of a Representative Association.

The prohibition on membership was provided for in legislation on the basis that the holder of this post exercises critical functions relating to the administration of military justice. As such, the individual is required to be independent in the performance of their functions, as well as being perceived, by all members of the Defence Forces, as being independent and impartial. The position does not fall within the chain of military command.

Following a protracted IR process, via C&A Scheme, the Defence sector Arbitration Board upheld an ruling by the then Defence Sector Adjudicator, which stated that the Director of Military Prosecutions should be allowed join a Defence Sector Representative Association, namely RACO. I do not intend, in my reply to you today Deputy, to revisit all the issues laid out in this extensive IR process, one which has now concluded.

However, it has to be pointed out that, unlike the vast majority of claims that come within the remit of the Defence Sector C&A Scheme, this is one that has encountered significant debate, including advices from the Attorney General and consultation with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform. This claim, unlike the vast majority of matters addressed in the C&A space, is a complex issue and therefore requires very careful and considered analysis.

I fully acknowledge the time that has lapsed since the Arbitration Board's ruling, on this matter and I have asked my officials to bring the matter to a conclusion as soon as possible.

I am committed to the Defence Sector C&A process and I value the input of all parties involved in the Scheme. It is a very important forum for all parties to address ongoing pay and conditions issues, for members of the Permanent Defence Force.

I personally have met with the Representative Associations and have had very constructive engagement to date. I look forward to continued positive engagement.

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire (Cork South-Central, Sinn Fein)
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14. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the number of residential Defence Forces buildings that are currently not habitable; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31326/25]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Since the 1990s, the long-standing policy of the organisation has been to withdraw from the provision of married quarters for serving personnel. This policy approach remains reflective of the State’s move away from the historic provision of tied housing for State employees. The move away from this provision was accepted by senior military management at the time and has been acknowledged as a long-standing policy.

In terms of the Defence Forces residential housing stock, there are currently eighty (80) uninhabitable residential properties. None of these properties can be brought up to a habitable standard without significant work, and many were built prior to the introduction of building regulations. In this regard, the Defence Forces commissioned Consultants to assess the condition of the Defence Forces vacant housing stock and its suitability for conversion/refurbishment to provide for additional single living-in accommodation for Defence Forces personnel.

This report has now been presented to me, and I have reviewed its recommendations on which properties are suitable for refurbishment as accommodation and which are not. I have directed that my officials now engage with the Defence Forces to include these projects into the existing infrastructure development plan.

These developments will dovetail with an extensive wider programme of Defence Forces accommodation procurement. The Deputy may also wish to know that there is a steady pipeline of accommodation projects coming on stream at an estimated cost of some €60m, are being progressed or completed during 2025 and will provide 715 beds. Since the launch of the Infrastructure Delivery Plan in January 2020, 12 accommodation projects at a combined cost of approximately €49m have been completed and provided 695 beds.

I want to assure the Deputy that I intend to do everything possible to increase the provision of accommodation for serving personnel. I am committed to radically overhauling both the built environment and working conditions for the men and women of the Defence Forces throughout the country and the level of investment I outlined speaks to this commitment.

Sinéad Gibney (Dublin Rathdown, Social Democrats)
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15. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence if his Department has conducted any scoping exercises on how any potential increase in overseas deployments will impact the State’s ability to monitor and patrol Irish seas and airspace, in light of the ongoing difficulties with recruitment and retention in the Defence Forces; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31236/25]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Where any operational deployments are proposed to participate in an overseas peacekeeping mission, , the assessment of any such request involves a number of important considerations, not least its compliance with Irish law and our foreign policy.

Other elements include the consent of the host nation, trust in partners in the operation and that the operation operates in accordance with international law and is consistent with the UN Charter.

Of course, any decision to participate in any overseas mission also depends on the resources and capacity in the Defence Forces. All overseas missions are planned and sustained from a number of factors, including domestic operational commitments.

The Defence Forces are currently committed to a number of missions in a variety of missions with 446 personnel currently serving overseas. The vast majority of personnel who serve on these missions are drawn from the Army or the land component who are primarily tasked with land based national defence.

Whilst Naval Service and Air Corps personnel do also serve overseas, the numbers committed are on a much smaller scale. For example, Op IRINI/EUNAVFOR Med is a joint mission with a very small number of Navy and Air Corps Personnel (four in total).

The Military authorities maintain a dynamic monitoring of all our overseas commitments and provide military advice to the Minister accordingly, as was the case in the withdrawal of the Infantry Group from UNDOF in 2024.

Shane Moynihan (Dublin Mid West, Fianna Fail)
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16. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the progress being made to establish independent command structures for the Air Corps and the Naval Service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30561/25]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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The Commission on the Defence Forces recommended in its 2022 report 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.

The Detailed Implementation Plan for the Report of the Commission on the Defence Forces 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 approved by Government.

There are a number of Government approved, Commission recommendations contained in the report in relation to high level command and control. Work has been ongoing on these Command and Control changes including the governance and oversight arrangements. A second Memorandum for Government in relation to high level command and control was approved in July 2024 to prepare the necessary legislation on Command and Control (C²). This work is significant, complex and sensitive involving a fundamental review of the current regulatory framework governing the relationship between the Minister for Defence, the Defence Forces and the Department of Defence. This work is on-going with the intention to have heads of bill presented to the Government in near future.

Currently, military command is delegated from the Minister for Defence (on behalf of the Government) to five separate high ranking military Officers commanding Army Brigade units, the Naval Service and Air Corps (all Brigadier General rank). The Commission on the Defence Forces also recommended "The Army, Air Corps and Naval Service should become services, have service headquarters and have parity of esteem".

I have confidence that the structures that have been put in place, coupled with progress to date, will ensure the successful delivery of the transformation effort.

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire (Cork South-Central, Sinn Fein)
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18. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence if he will consider the introduction of service commitment schemes to retain key specialist functions within the Defence Forces; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31324/25]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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For a number of years, my Department has had one service commitment scheme in place in respect of the Air Corps pilots which has proved to be a successful retention measure.

The Deputy will be aware that an issue has arisen in relation to recent retirements of specialised personnel working in Air Traffic Control.

Following engagement with my colleague Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, I brought a Memorandum to Government this week, seeking approval for the extension of the existing scheme in place for pilots in the Air Corps to Air Traffic Control personnel. This extension has been approved by Government and will be implemented immediately.

Recruitment and retention of Defence Forces personnel is a key Government priority. There are challenges with recruitment and retention in the Defence Forces, with particular challenges in relation to specialist personnel. Military management regularly reviews their existing recruitment frameworks to ensure they are fully optimised and responsive to the needs of the Defence Forces. My Department works closely with the Defence Forces in developing and delivering enablers to support both recruitment and retention.

A number of additional policy measures have been implemented over the last three years. A civilian Head of Strategic HR has been appointed in the Defence Forces, with the aim of achieving a modernised HR function. Improvements to the overall benefits package have been introduced, such as:-

• the extension of private secondary health care to enlisted ranks;
• the restructuring of the Patrol Duty Allowance (PDA) paid to the Naval Service to encourage sea-going activities;
• Technical pay 2 - 6 review, resulting in increased technical pay for certain cohorts
• Significant improvements in pay across the Defence Forces
• Removal of the blanket exemption from the Organisation of Working Time Act.

I am open to exploring options to continue to drive recruitment and retention in the Defence Forces. The availability of 1% of pay to be negotiated through the local bargaining process presents an opportunity for both management and the Representative Associations to address a number challenges, including the retention of specialists. I welcome the constructive informal engagement to date by the Representative Associations with civil and military management in this process.

All initiatives, including those to be agreed through local bargaining, are carefully assessed against operational requirements and broader public pay policy.

Séamus McGrath (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail)
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19. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the strength of the permanent Defence Force as of 31 May 2025, or the latest date available; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30834/25]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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The military authorities have advised that as of 30 April 2025, the latest date for which such information is available, the strength of the Permanent Defence Force stood at 7,512.

Figures provided for 2024 and to date in 2025 indicate a plateauing of the strength. There were 708 personnel inducted in 2024, the highest in over five years. While it is positive that numbers are stabilising, I want to see greater progress in recruitment of personnel and have been very clear with the Chief of Staff of my ambitions in that regard. The Defence Forces are targeting 800 inductions at a minimum for this year.

To facilitate this, Budget 2025 has provided a record allocation of €1.35 billion for the Defence Sector, an increase of €100 million. In relation to specific recruitment targets, this allocation provides for the recruitment of at least a net additional 400 personnel per annum.

Interest in a career in the Defence Forces remains robust and indeed grew significantly again in 2024 with total applications showing an increase of 33% across all competitions compared to the previous year. This trend has continued into 2025 with in excess of 6,400 applications received to the end of April.

I have previously acknowledged the recruitment and retention challenges in the Defence Forces. Government has introduced a number of key enabling measures to drive Defence Forces recruitment. These include an increase in recruitment age to 39 years for those roles that had a recruitment age below that, and to 50 years for Direct Entry Specialists. The mandatory retirement age has been increased to 62. Private secondary healthcare has been rolled out to all PDF members and the provisions of the Working Time Directive have been extended across the Defence Forces, subject to certain exemptions. The Patrol Duty allowance payable to Naval Service personnel at sea has been doubled after ten days at sea in a calendar year and the Naval Service tax credit has been extended for a further five years

There has been significant progress on pay in recent years. Recruits on completion of training now start at €41,465 in Year 1, which represents an increase of 49% over the past 6 years. School leaver Cadets upon commissioning earn €45,341 whilst in full time education, while the pay of Graduate Cadets now commences on €50,667. These figures are inclusive of Military Service Allowance. There is also another pay increase of 1% due under the current pay agreement in August, and a number of other pay related items are being negotiated under the local bargaining agreement.

A Joint Induction Training Centre has been established in Gormanston, and the military authorities have advised that when fully operational, it will enable induction training to be provided to 900 recruits per annum.

Whilst there are still undoubtedly challenges, significant progress has been made on a number of fronts and the allocation of record levels of expenditure to the Defence sector is illustrative of my intent in this regard.