Written answers

Wednesday, 1 October 2025

Photo of Ryan O'MearaRyan O'Meara (Tipperary North, Fianna Fail)
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13. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the steps being taken to regulate for each of the 35 recommendations of a report (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52264/25]

Photo of Ryan O'MearaRyan O'Meara (Tipperary North, Fianna Fail)
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14. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence if he will provide details of the lead for the implementation of the 35 recommendations of a report (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52265/25]

Photo of Simon HarrisSimon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 13 and 14 together.

I am fully committed to the implementation of 35 recommendations contained in Mr. Ward’s Report, which were accepted in their entirety.

Since publication of the Report, my officials and the military authorities have been working on taking the recommendations forward.

Early on, having consulted with the Office of the Attorney General, it was clear a number of the recommendations, including those relating to suspension of Defence Force members, require extensive legal underpinning via amendment to the Defence Act 1954.

Part 4 of the recently published Defence (Amendment) Bill 2025 includes the necessary amendments to the Defence Acts to provide for the suspension in certain circumstances of a member of the Defence Forces and associated matters. This will give effect to recommendations contained within the report on the management of members of the Defence Forces charged with, or convicted of, serious criminal offences.

A number of recommendations in the Report, including recommendations relating to the attendance of Court Reporting Officers at civil trials, have already been implemented by amendments to existing Defence Force Regulations. These are as follows:

  • Recommendation 24: Role of Reporting Officer be confined to one of reporting on the criminal process to the Commanding Officer;
  • Recommendation 25: Reporting Officer be required to attend in cases where an officer is charged with a criminal offence;
  • Recommendation 32: If an appeal is pending which is not against the conviction, a discharge/discipline process need not await the outcome of the appeal.
In addition, recommendation 26 relating to the Reporting Officer to appear in Court in civilian attire has also been progressed.

While work continues on progressing remaining recommendations, with a view to taking forward and maintaining a pro-active management approach, the Defence Forces, in consultation with officials are in the process of finalising a Defence Forces Direction and Guidance document which sets out interim arrangements to be put in place, pending the passage of legislation and associated Regulatory amendments.

Photo of Ryan O'MearaRyan O'Meara (Tipperary North, Fianna Fail)
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15. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the progress made on each action listed in the Detailed Implementation Plan for the Report of the Commission on the Defence Forces, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52266/25]

Photo of Simon HarrisSimon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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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. 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 the coming weeks.

The detailed information sought by the Deputy is not readily available within the required time frame in tabular form. Officials in my Department are collating this information currently for the upcoming publication of the Update to the Detailed Implementation Plan. I will arrange to have this information forwarded to the Deputy as soon as it is available.

Photo of Ryan O'MearaRyan O'Meara (Tipperary North, Fianna Fail)
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16. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the progress to date on each action listed in the Reserve Defence Force Regeneration and Development Plan, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52267/25]

Photo of Ryan O'MearaRyan O'Meara (Tipperary North, Fianna Fail)
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17. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the rationale for the withdrawal of certain payments to Reserve Defence Force personnel, per recently issued pay guidance, the civil service grade at which this decision was taken; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52268/25]

Photo of Simon HarrisSimon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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A key priority for the Tánaiste is the modernisation of our Defence Forces, and revitalising our Reserve Defence Forces is a vital part of that transformation process. The Regeneration and Development Plan contains concrete actions to drive forward recruitment and retention, resourcing, training and education and integration and deployment.

The conditions under which reservists are paid for certain activities are set out in Defence Force Regulations (DFRs). There is no question of reservists losing payment for their activities or cut backs to activities that attract a sanctioned payment.

In 2023, the Defence Forces issued a letter of instruction (LOI) relating to such payments. The LOI was regrettably not consistent with the regulations.

Reservists are an integral part of the Defence Forces and should be remunerated appropriately. In response to these issues, I have directed that the Defence Forces submit a robust business case to clearly set out exactly which reserve activities should attract payment. Any proposed changes to paid activities may require sanction from the Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform and a regulatory amendment. While this work is ongoing, the Defence Forces are working on possible solutions for Members of the RDF.

All eligible RDF activities in 2024 were paid for, reflected in the fact that the original 2024 budget allocation for the RDF was increased by 36 per cent during the year;

This additional spending reflected the higher than anticipated levels of activity and a welcome increased interest in the RDF during the year.

Photo of Ryan O'MearaRyan O'Meara (Tipperary North, Fianna Fail)
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18. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the status of draft legislation to create the post of Chief of Defence; the powers to be allocated to the Chief of Defence; if the Chief of Defence will be appointed as accounting officer for the Defence Forces budget; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52269/25]

Photo of Simon HarrisSimon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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As Minister for Defence, 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 recommended in its 2022 report significant changes for the Defence Forces and Defence provision in Ireland. It covers high level Defence Forces structures, defence capabilities, organisation, culture and human resources, the Reserve Defence Force and funding.

The Commission on the Defence Forces also made significant recommendations around command and control of the Defence Forces including command being delegated from the Minister to the head of the Military to be titled Chief of Defence (CHOD). Currently, military command is delegated from the Minister for Defence (on behalf of the Government) to five separate high ranking military Officers commanding Army Brigade units, the Naval Service and Air Corps (all Brigadier General rank).

There are a number of Government approved Commission recommendations contained in the report in relation to high level command and control. Approval has been given by Government to prepare a General Scheme of a Bill to give effect to these recommendations. This work is on-going, significant, complex and sensitive involving a fundamental review of the current regulatory framework governing the relationship between the Minister for Defence, the Defence Forces and the Department of Defence, but I expect to be in a position to bring the General Scheme to Government within the coming months.

Photo of Ryan O'MearaRyan O'Meara (Tipperary North, Fianna Fail)
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19. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence to update on recruitment and retention measures being progressed by the Defence Forces; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52271/25]

Photo of Simon HarrisSimon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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The military authorities have advised me that the strength of the Permanent Defence Force (PDF) as at 31 August 2025, the latest date for which this figure is available, stood at 7,502 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.

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.

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