Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Aontú)
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319. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the mechanisms that are in place to support veteran groups of the Defence Forces situated in the North, particularly around commemorations and acts of remembrance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41217/25]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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I am advised that requests for Defence Forces ceremonial support should be routed through the Department of Defence, and in some instances also with the Department of Foreign Affairs, which are then forwarded to the Defence Forces for consideration. If the request is considered appropriate for Defence Forces participation, and if the exigencies of the service allow, the Defence Forces will provide support, as appropriate.

For some events, permission for the wearing of military uniforms may be required, requiring a longer lead-in time to allow for appropriate liaison between all relevant parties.

Joe Neville (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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320. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence considering that the Government have significantly increased the Defence Forces budget, the procedures he intends to put in place to ensure Ireland's defence procurement spend stays within the Irish economy, benefitting our indigenous SMEs and research sectors; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41293/25]

Joe Neville (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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321. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the percentage of the current defence procurement spend that goes to indigenous Irish companies, research sectors and universities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41294/25]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 320 and 321 together.

The Government approved a move to Level of Ambition 2 (LOA2), as recommended by the Commission on the Defence Forces in July, 2022. As part of that decision, the Government remains committed to increasing the funding allocated to defence to €1.5 billion (at January 2022 prices) by 2028, through the annual Estimates process. Delivery of this objective will allow the required transformation and investment in Defence recruitment, equipment and infrastructure that was identified by the Commission. I remain fully committed to delivering on this strategic funding objective as evidenced by the fact that the Defence Vote Group allocation for 2025 has increased by €243 million (22%) since 2022, when the Government approved the Commission Report.

In addition, following the recent review of NDP multi-annual allocations, the Defence capital allocation will increase by €600 million (55%) over the 2026-2030 timeframe, and by €85 million (40%) in 2026. This increased defence capital funding is welcome and, over the coming years, will continue to be utilised effectively to address long-standing capability gaps, modernise core infrastructure needs and ensure that Ireland continues to deliver on its defence responsibilities and international commitments.

My Department makes a contribution to the €3.2m Research Ireland Defence Innovation Challenge, which is a national initiative aimed at developing innovative solutions to enhance the capabilities of the Defence Forces and deliver benefits to wider society.

While Ireland does not have a traditional defence industry per se, we do have industry that could have a defence application. It is important for Irish industry to be in a position to take advantage of commercial opportunities that present themselves within a sector that will grow very significantly. Ireland has sought supports for SMEs within EU initiatives.