Ryan O'Meara (Tipperary North, Fianna Fail)
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38. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the means by which he is examining incentives and structural changes to make a military career accessible to a wider range of candidates, and to encourage existing personnel to extend their military careers, including rewarding long service and broadening eligibility criteria. [48991/25]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Recruitment and retention of Defence Forces personnel is a key priority for Government. Figures provided for 2024 indicate a stabilisation in numbers. There were 708 personnel inducted in 2024, the highest in over five years.

The government has introduced a wide range of initiatives aimed at improving recruitment and retention and making the Defence Forces a career of choice. These include an increase to the maximum recruitment age to 39, and to 50 for Direct Entry Officer specialists; an increase in the mandatory retirement age to 62; the application of the Working Time Directive across the Defence Forces in January of this year, (subject to certain exemptions); the extension of the provision of private secondary healthcare to all members of the Permanent Defence Force, in addition to unrivalled access to opportunities for education and training. Reforms and improvements have been also been made to family friendly policies, and proposed changes planned for better career progression and professional development opportunities. Other measures include a doubling of the patrol duty allowance and an extension of the Naval Service Tax Credit for a further five years. There has also been significant progress on pay, with the most recent increase implemented on 1 August 2025.

Recruitment to the Defence Forces remains ongoing through a diverse range of competitions for General Service and for specialised Direct Entry positions. Additional bespoke and once off competitions such as those currently advertising on the Defence Forces website for Grooms in the Equitation School and for a Dental Nurse provide further opportunities for perspective candidates who meet the entry criteria.

Challenges exist in recruiting and retaining certain specialists due to competing demands for such specialists in other sectors. In addition to traditional recruitment, a number of measures have been introduced aimed at restoring and retaining capacity and boosting specialist numbers. These include an ongoing scheme which permits former personnel with specialist skills to re-enter the Permanent Defence Force, Direct Entry is utilised in the recruitment of specialists, and the terms and conditions and scope of Direct Entry competitions remain under consideration pending the outcome of a review by external experts. The conditions for entry into and service in the Permanent Defence Force are subject to continuous review, having regard to the needs of the organisation and the development of best practice.

The Commission on Defence Forces (CoDF) Report recommended that Long Service Increments be introduced to the pay scales of all ranks of enlisted personnel. Discussions are ongoing with all the relevant stakeholders. The CoDF report also recommended the recruitment of a civilian Head of Strategic HR. He has been appointed to the Defence Forces, with the aim of achieving a modernised HR function within the Defence Forces.

I am open to exploring options to continue to drive recruitment and retention in the Defence Forces and, while any proposed initiatives must be carefully assessed against operational requirements and broader public pay policy, the allocation of record levels of spending to the Defence sector is illustrative of my ambitions in this regard.

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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40. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the proposals there are to upgrade and-or provide new accommodation and facilities, including living accommodation, for the permanent Defence Forces; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49234/25]

Grace Boland (Dublin Fingal West, Fine Gael)
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41. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence if the provision of accommodation for Defence Force members is being pursued to improve recruitment and retention of members; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49115/25]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 40 and 41 together.

I can advise the Deputy that since the launch of the Infrastructure Development Plan in January 2020, the following accommodation projects at a combined cost of approximately €49.7m have been completed and 775 beds provided:

• Casement Aerodrome Modular Accommodation
• Gormanston Camp – Upgrade Block A
• Haulbowline Refurbishment of Block 4
• Upgrade of Former USAC Building, Renmore
• New Accommodation Block Collins Barracks
• Gormanston Camp- Upgrade Block B
• Refurbishment of Block C, Stephen’s Barracks
• Refurbishment of Block H, McKee Barracks
• Refurbishment of Block 8, Haulbowline
• Refurbishment of Blocks B and D of Pearse Barracks
• Refurbishment of Plunkett Block 7, DFTC
• Refurbishment of Blocks 1 & 2 Cathal Brugha
• Refurbishment of Apprentice Hostel, Casement Aerodrome

• Refurbishment of Block 1, Collins Barracks
• Refurbishment of Old Communications Building, Haulbowline
• Refurbishment of Cadet Mess Building Haulbowline
• Haulbowline – Refurbishment of Block 6
• Haulbowline – New Modular Accommodation Block
• Refurbishment of Blocks A, B, D, E & F, Stephens Barracks
• DFTC, Refurbishment of Ceannt Block 1
• Casement Aerodrome – Refurbishment of Old Married Quarters to Single Living-In Accommodation.

Shay Brennan (Dublin Rathdown, Fianna Fail)
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42. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the measures he is taking regarding the further development of the Reserve Defence Force. [48993/25]

John Paul O'Shea (Cork North-West, Fine Gael)
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76. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the current strength of the Reserve Defence Force; the efforts being made by his Department to increase recruitment to the Reserve Defence Force; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49254/25]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 42 and 76 together.

The military authorities have provided the details in the following table that outlines the strength of the RDF as at 31 August 2025. The military authorities also advise that a review of the strength figures is currently underway and therefore the figures below may be subject to change.

Examples of recruitment measures that continue to support this objective include the increase in upper recruitment and mandatory retirement ages, implementation of a ‘managed Induction Process’ and the on boarding process which enables candidates to undergo pre-attestation recruit training.

The initiatives contained in the RDF Regeneration and Development Plan are generating positive change and momentum towards a regenerated, trained and capable RDF to support the Permanent Defence Forces.

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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44. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the strength of the permanent Defence Forces as of 31 August 2025, or the latest date available; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48978/25]

Micheál Carrigy (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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62. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence if consideration is being given to holding specific recruitment campaigns for people in other sectors and in mid- and later-career stages; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48826/25]

Barry Ward (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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78. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the position regarding any initiatives that seek to encourage both recruitment and retention of personnel in the armed forces; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49039/25]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 44, 62 and 78 together.

The military authorities have advised me that the strength of the Permanent Defence Force (PDF) as at 31 July, the latest date for which this figure is available, stood at 7,540 personnel.

Significant progress is being achieved on a number of fronts in addressing the recruitment and retention challenges in the Defence Forces, and last year saw a stabilisation of the downward trend in numbers. There were 708 personnel inducted in 2024, the highest in over five years while discharges were at their lowest in four years. Interest in a career in the Defence Forces continues to grow significantly with figures provided by the Defence Forces showing a year on year increase of 33% in application numbers to the end of August of this year.

Government has introduced a number of key enabling measures to drive Defence Forces recruitment. These include increases in the maximum ages of recruitment and retirement respectively, the extension of private secondary healthcare to all personnel and the application of the provisions of the Working Time Directive 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 with all personnel benefiting from a further pay award made on August 1 of this year.

Recruitment to the Defence Forces remains ongoing through a diverse range of competitions for General Service and for specialised Direct Entry positions. Additional bespoke and once off competitions such as those currently advertising on the Defence Forces website for Grooms in the Equitation School and for a Dental Nurse provide further opportunities for perspective candidates who meet the entry criteria.

The entry criteria, including age limits, for personnel wishing to enter the Defence Forces are as set out in Regulations made pursuant to the Defence Act 1954, as amended. These criteria are subject to review and change. In 2024, the maximum recruitment age was increased in to 39 years of age for General Service Recruits, Cadets, and certain specialists. In addition, the maximum recruitment age for Direct Entry Officer specialists was increased to 50.

While challenges undoubtedly remain, the allocation of record levels of expenditure to the Defence sector, and the policy initiatives and changes to eligibility criteria already implemented, is indicative of Government’s commitment in this regard.

Edward Timmins (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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45. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the progress at securing a primary radar system; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49099/25]

Shane Moynihan (Dublin Mid West, Fianna Fail)
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52. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence for an update on the planned rollout beginning in 2026 of the military radar programme as recommended by the Commission on the Defence Forces; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49273/25]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 45 and 52 together.

A key priority for me as Minister for Defence is to ensure that the operational capacity of the Defence Forces is maintained and developed in line with the Government’s decision to move to Level of Ambition 2 (LOA2), as defined by the Commission on the Defence Forces (CODF).

The CODF recommended the development of a primary radar capability to ensure that Ireland can maintain a complete ‘Recognised Air Picture’, and that this should be an immediate and top priority.

The CODF advised that the absence of a complete Recognised Air Picture needs to be addressed for various reasons; including the protection of our national sovereignty in the air, for the purposes of civil aviation safety, and maintenance of cooperative relations with neighbouring states who are also impacted by this capability gap.

On foot of this, and following approval of the CODF ‘Detailed Implementation Plan’ in November 2023, a project team comprising senior civil and military personnel was established to progress a Military Radar Programme. This programme of work is ongoing and good progress has been made.

There are three elements to the Military Radar Programme: Land based Long Range Primary Radar; Ground Based Air Defence (GBAD) systems, to include a Counter-Unmanned Aerial Systems (C-UAS) capability; and Maritime (ship-borne) Radar.

When fully delivered, the Recognised Air Picture will incorporate this suite of military radar systems; which will have the capability to detect all aircraft traversing our airspace including any that may be operating with their transponders turned off.

Full delivery of the Programme will be complex; but has been prioritised with a target date of 2028 identified in the Detailed Implementation Plan. That being said, elements of this capability will be rolled out in phases, starting in 2026, towards full delivery by the end of 2028.

My Department has engaged with a number of countries, including all EU Member States, to ascertain the interest in supporting Ireland to deliver this capability.

Based on the responses received, I directed my officials to commence bi-lateral discussions with a small number of countries, with a view to assessing options for delivery and finalising this phase of the Programme before the end of this year.

Delivering the Military Radar Programme is a critical part of the implementation of the CODF Report. I believe that the aforementioned approach is the best mechanism to ensure effective and efficient delivery of the entire Programme. My priority is to ensure that delivery can commence next year with full operational capacity being delivered by the end of 2028. Given that this process is currently ongoing it is premature to make any further comment or provide any further detail at this time.

I thank the Deputy for his question and I am happy to update the House on the progress of the Programme.