Written answers
Wednesday, 17 September 2025
Department of Defence
Statutory Instruments
Carol Nolan (Offaly, Independent)
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185. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence to provide a list of all Statutory Instruments signed by him in 2024 and to date in 2025; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48673/25]
Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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The Statutory Instruments which were signed by me, or by my predecessor as Minister for Defence, in 2024 and 2025 and which are published on the Statute Book are set out in the table below.
| Statutory Instrument | Year | Name |
|---|---|---|
| 338/2025 | 2025 | Data Protection Act 2018 (Section 60(6)) (Defence Forces Tribunal of Inquiry) Regulations 2025 |
| 623/2024 | 2024 | Data Protection Act 2018 (Section 51(3)) (Defence Forces Tribunal of Inquiry) Regulation 2024 |
| 624/2024 | 2024 | Data Protection Act 2018 (Section 38(4)(b)) (Defence Forces Tribunal of Inquiry) Regulation 2024 |
| 619/2024 | 2024 | Defence Act 1954 (Part Xiii) (Establishment Day) Order 2024 |
| 611/2024 | 2024 | Rules of Procedure (Defence Forces) (Amendment) Rules 2024 |
| 609/2024 | 2024 | 2024 Defence (Amendment) Act 2024 (Commencement of Certain Provisions) Order 2024 |
| 559/2024 | 2024 | European Union (Resilience of Critical Entities Regulations 2024 |
| 304/2024 | 2024 | Tribunals of Inquiry (Evidence) Act 1921 (Appointment of Tribunal) Instrument 2024 |
Section 3 of the Statutory Instruments Act 1947, as amended by section 6 of the Statute Law Revision Act 2015, provides that statutory instruments made by the Minister for Defence under specific sections of the Defence Act 1954 and the Defence (Amendment) Act 1990 are exempt from the general application of the Statutory Instruments Act 1947. This includes the provisions regarding publication. While the statutory instruments in question are not published on the Irish Statute Book they are available to members of the Defence Forces. Defence Force Regulations are amended as required to reflect policy changes.
The table provided below sets out the DFRs that were amended during the period requested. A brief description of the purpose of the amendment is provided.
| Defence Force Regulation (DFR) Amended | Year | Subject |
|---|---|---|
| R.5 Reserve Defence Force (Army Reserve and Naval Service Reserve) | 2025 | This amendment implements recommendations of the 2024 Report on the management of members of the Defence Forces charged with or convicted of serious criminal offences by Peter Ward SC (Ward Report). |
| R.2 Reserve of Men (1st Line) | 2025 | This amendment implements recommendations of the Ward Report. |
| A.10 Enlistment, Promotions, Reductions, Transfer to the Reserve Defence Force and Discharge | 2025 | This amendment implements recommendations of the Ward Report. |
| A.7 Discipline | 2025 | This amendment implements recommendations of the Ward Report. |
| S.2 Financial and Accounting Instructions | 2025 | This amendment provides for the deletion of obsolete provisions in Part III of the Regulations concerning the payment in cash of men of the Defence Forces and civilian employees, and an updating of the provisions in Part VIII of the Regulations relating to the reporting of instances of fraud and theft occurring within military installations. |
| A.15 Officers (appointments, promotions, etc.) | 2025 | This amendment updates the provisions of the scheme for promotion to the rank of Major-General. |
| A.18 Military Command | 2025 | This amendment relates to the despatch of members of the Permanent Defence Force. |
| C.S.4 Organisation of the Defence Forces | 2025 | This amendment relates to the establishment of the Defence Forces. |
| A.7 Discipline | 2025 | These amendment arises from the despatch of a contingent under section 3 of the Defence (Amendment) Act 2006. |
| A.11 (New Series) Leave | 2025 | This amendment provides for the granting of rest periods for certain activities carried out by members of the Permanent Defence Force. The provisions relating to rest periods codify arrangements for the granting of time off in Lieu (TOIL) to members following the completion of certain activities. |
| A.15 Officers (Appointments, Promotions, etc.) | 2024 | This amendment provides for the introduction, on an interim basis, of a three year fixed period promotion for Medical Officers from the rank of Captain to Commandant. |
| CS4 Organisation of the Defence Forces | 2024 | This amendment relates to the establishment of the Defence Forces. |
| R5 Reserve Defence Force (Army Reserve and Naval Service Reserve) | 2024 | This amendment provides for the convening of promotion boards in the Reserve Defence Force by the Chief of Staff. |
| S.7 Representative Association - Reserve Defence Force 2022 | 2024 | This amendment arises from the enactment of the Defence (Amendment) Act 2024. |
| S.6 Representative Associations | 2024 | This amendment arises from the enactment of the Defence (Amendment) Act 2024. |
| S.3 Pay and Allowances (Permanent Defence Force) | 2024 | This amendment arises from the enactment of the Defence (Amendment) Act 2024. |
| R.5 Reserve Defence Force (Army Reserve and Naval Service Reserve) | 2024 | This amendment arises from the enactment of the Defence (Amendment) Act 2024. |
| A.14 Army Nursing Service | 2024 | This amendment arises from the enactment of the Defence (Amendment) Act 2024. |
| A.10 Enlistment, Promotions, Reductions, Transfers to the Reserve Defence Force and Discharge | 2024 | This amendment arises from the enactment of the Defence (Amendment) Act 2024. |
| A.9 (New Series) Dress and Medals | 2024 | This amendment arises from the enactment of the Defence (Amendment) Act 2024. |
| A.10 Enlistment, Promotions, Reductions, Transfers to the RDF and Discharge | 2024 | This amendment increases the upper age limit for continuance in service of enlisted members in the Permanent Defence Force to 62 years of age. |
| A.15 Officers (Appointments, Promotions, etc.) | 2024 | This amendment provides for an increase in the mandatory retirement age of commissioned officers to 62 years for those ranks where previously the mandatory retirement age was below 62 years. |
| R.5 Reserve Defence Force (Army Reserve and Naval Service Reserve) | 2024 | This amendment provides for an increase in the upper age limit for the relinquishment of a commission by an officer of the Reserve Defence Force and the upper age limit for continuance in service of a reservist. |
| A.15 Officers (Appointments, Promotions, etc.) | 2024 | This amendment provides for the introduction on an interim basis of a three year fixed period promotion for Medical Officers from the rank of Captain to Commandant. |
| C.S.4 Organisation of the Defence Forces Staff, Units and other Elements Numerical Establishment | 2024 | This amendment relates to the establishment of the Defence Forces. |
| R.5 Reserve Defence Force (Army Reserve and Naval Service Reserve) | 2024 | This amendment provides for increases in the age for enlistment in, and the age for retirement from, the Reserve Defence Force. |
| A.15 - Officers (Appointments, Promotions, Etc.) | 2024 | This amendment provides for an increase in the mandatory age of retirement of commissioned officers to 60 years for those ranks where previously the mandatory age was below 60 years. |
| A.10 Enlistment, Promotions, Reductions, Transfer to the Reserve Defence Force and Discharge | 2024 | This amendment provides for an increase in the upper age limit to 39 years for enlistment in the Permanent Defence Force and an increase the upper age limit to 60 years for continuance in service. |
| A.15 - Officers (Appointments, Promotions, Etc.) | 2024 | This amendment provides for a new category of officer promotion board to facilitate certain appointments recommended by the Commission on the Defence Forces and new procedures/criteria relating to promotions to the rank of Brigadier-General or equivalent. |
| S.3 Pay and Allowances (Permanent Defence Force) | 2024 | This amendment updates rates of initial and replenishment uniform allowances, which are payable to non-commissioned officers in the ranks of Sgt-Major and Battalion Quarter-Master-Sergeant and Naval Service equivalents. |
| S.3 Pay and Allowances (PDF) | 2024 | This amendment revises the rates of pay and allowances for members of the PDF in line with Building Momentum - A new Public Service Pay Agreement 2021-2022 & Building Momentum - Public Service Pay Agreement Extension 2022 - 2023. |
| R.5 Reserve Defence Force (Army Reserve and Naval Service Reserve) | 2024 | This amendment updates the training requirements in the case of a promotion to the rank of Company Quartermaster Sergeant, Battalion Quartermaster Sergeant or Senior Petty Officer. |
| A.14 Army Nursing Service | 2024 | This amendment revises the rates of pay and allowances for members of the Army Nursing Service in line with Building Momentum - A new Public Service Pay Agreement 2021-2022 & Building Momentum - Public Service Pay Agreement Extension 2022 - 2023. |
| A.9 (New Series) Dress and Medals | 2024 | This amendment provides that the Deputy Chief of Staff (Support) may determine the personal appearance standards applicable to members of the Defence Forces. |
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