Albert Dolan (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

177. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the timeline for the publication of the updated Commission of the Defence Forces Implementation plan and the 12-year plan to reach LOA3. [48258/25]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

As Minister, I am deeply committed to the transformation of the Defence Forces into a modern, fit for purpose organisation to defend the State and meet the challenges of today and the future.

The Commission on the Defence Forces was established on foot of a commitment in the Programme for Government, and its report was published on the 9th of February 2022. There were 130 recommendations in total, comprising 69 main recommendations, with 61 further sub recommendations. The Commission recommended significant changes for the Defence Forces and Defence provision in Ireland. It covered high-level Defence Forces structures, defence capabilities, organisation, culture and human resources, the Reserve Defence Force and funding.

Given the significant recommendations contained in the Report, detailed consideration of these recommendations was undertaken with a High Level Action Plan (HLAP) and a Memo for Government brought to Government and approved on July 12th 2022. This involved the approval of a move to ‘Level of Ambition 2’ (LOA2) by 2028, as set out in the capability framework devised by the Commission on the Defence Forces. This will result in the Defence budget rising from €1.1 billion to €1.7billion, as per capital allocation under the National Development Plan (2026–2030), the largest increase in Defence funding in the history of the State. This will allow for the required substantial transformation and investment in recruitment and equipment that were identified by the Commission.

The Detailed Implementation Plan for the Report of the Commission on the Defence Forces, was published on 21 November 2023. This plan sets out an ambitious programme of work to move to Level of Ambition 2 (enhanced capability) and the significant and fundamental change for the Defence Forces that will be delivered under the following themes:

• Strategic HR and Cultural Change;
• New Command and Control and Joint Structures to be established;
• Services to be reformed and restructured;
• Reserve Defence Force to be revitalised; and
• Joint Capability Development to be implemented.