Written answers
Thursday, 18 September 2025
Department of Defence
Defence Forces
Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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71. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the progress to date in implementing the Report of the Commission on the Defence Forces; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49233/25]
Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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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.
This includes changes made to the existing Naval Service allowances, as a means of simplifying current structures, by consolidating the daily allowance and the sea-going commitment scheme into one enhanced allowance.
In addition to this, extension of private secondary healthcare to enlisted ranks was implemented in September 2023.
In terms of recruitment, a number of initiatives have been progressed to counter staffing challenges in the Defence Forces, The Government agreed to increase the maximum retirement age for Permanent Defence Force personnel to 62. This facilitated an increase in the maximum recruitment age to 39 for those roles. The maximum recruitment age for Direct Entry Officer specialists has been increased to 50.
43 of the Commission's recommendations are now fully implemented, with many more nearing completion. An update to the Detailed Implementation Plan for the Report of the Commission on the Defence Forces is currently being finalised. It is my intention to publish the update to the plan in October.
Transformation efforts of this magnitude take time, and can only be successful if they are built on solid foundations. I have confidence that the structures that have been put in place and progress to date will ensure the successful delivery of the transformation effort.
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