Like the Deputy, I will not get into specific details. I do not think it would be appropriate. I want to ensure we have legislation that ensures every member of the Defence Forces and their families are treated equally when it comes to pensions, particularly where a tragic incident has occurred. It is something I am engaging on and open to engaging on but I will not get into the specifics.
TDs / Helen McEntee
Helen McEntee
Minister for DefenceMinister for Foreign Affairs and Trade
Portrait: © Houses of the Oireachtas (Oireachtas (Open Data) PSI Licence) · source file
0
questions asked
Members of the Government answer questions rather than ask them
245,309
words spoken in the chamber
245,286 as a minister, 23 as a TD
321
votes recorded
Each Yes, No or Abstained in a recorded vote
From the Dáil chamber only: committee meetings are not in this archive.
Members of the Government answer parliamentary questions rather than ask them, so this page lists none of theirs.
Month by month
Low months are usually recesses, when the Dáil does not sit. The archive runs to 22 October 2026.
Contributions to debates 806 in all
Dec 2024Oct 2026
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| Month | Contributions |
|---|---|
| December 2024 | 0 |
| January 2025 | 0 |
| February 2025 | 58 |
| March 2025 | 1 |
| April 2025 | 69 |
| May 2025 | 45 |
| June 2025 | 32 |
| July 2025 | 38 |
| August 2025 | 0 |
| September 2025 | 8 |
| October 2025 | 13 |
| November 2025 | 74 |
| December 2025 | 40 |
| January 2026 | 2 |
| February 2026 | 28 |
| March 2026 | 32 |
| April 2026 | 2 |
| May 2026 | 161 |
| June 2026 | 34 |
| July 2026 | 65 |
| August 2026 | 0 |
| September 2026 | 50 |
| October 2026 | 54 |
Debates they spoke in most
Plus 727 contributions in the regular slots, such as Leaders' Questions and Priority Questions. Speech from the chair is not counted.
Party, constituency and offices
- constituency Meath East 29 November 2024 to now
- party Fine Gael 29 November 2024 to now
- office Minister for Education 23 January 2025 to 1 May 2025
- office Minister for Education and Youth 2 May 2025 to 18 November 2025
- office Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade 18 November 2025 to now
- office Minister for Defence 18 November 2025 to now
I move:
That Dáil Éireann approves the exercise by the State of the option or discretion to which Article 20 of the Treaty on European Union relating to enhanced co-operation applies to establish enhanced co-operation as described in the draft Council Decision authorising enhanced co-operation on the establishment of a Loan for Ukraine, a copy of which was laid before Dáil Éireann on 21st January, 2026.
This motion…
I welcome this opportunity to provide Members with an update on recent developments in international relations at what is an extremely important time. We face an unprecedented and unpredictable geopolitical context. The rules-based order on which our security and our prosperity, and that of our EU partners, depends is increasingly under challenge. Russia's brutal war in Ukraine, in particular, continues to transform …
I propose to take Questions Nos. 85, 86 and 85 together.
I thank the Deputies for their questions. As this is my first parliamentary question session as Minister for Defence, I look forward to working with them constructively at what we know is an important time in the world, particularly for Ireland's position on a range of defence matters. As Minister, I am committed to the ongoing transformation and modernisation…
I am responding to different questions. First, we all know there were drones. For anybody suggesting otherwise, we know that was the case. I repeat that at no stage did they compromise the security operation that was in place for President Zelenskyy's visit. I will say that we are taking this matter extremely seriously. That is why there is a review under way. That is why the Garda is conducting a review working with…
We all agree the world we are living in now is changing and the types of threats we are facing are changing. We are no longer just thinking about warfare in terms of land incursions and what we are seeing, whether it is in Ukraine or elsewhere in the world. Hybrid threats are happening on a daily basis that are impacting people's day-to-day lives and businesses. Perhaps, there are also more sinister threats across Eu…
As this is my first time answering a question on this matter as Minister for Defence, I want to take this opportunity to say that the health and well-being of the men and women of Oglaigh na hÉireann is of the utmost importance. In fact, it is paramount and front and centre in everything we do, as it is to the Chief of Staff and Secretary General.
I am very clear in my view as Minister that those who serve the State…
I appreciate that we might not be on our own and similar issues have arisen in other jurisdictions. It is about going through the appropriate process and making sure that we are responding in the most appropriate way. These matters are currently the subject of active and ongoing litigation, as I have mentioned. The HSA has conducted several inspections in Baldonnel Aerodrome and there is more detail in that regard th…
I will treat this with the utmost seriousness. I am working closely with my officials. It is also important to stress these are cases of alleged past exposure to toxic chemicals. I want to be clear that we are talking about issues that may have happened in the past and to reassure people in that regard. In terms of the HSA and the inspection that took place, it advised in a subsequent report in 2024 that the Defence …
I understand from the military authorities that the strength of the Naval Service, as of 31 October 2025, the latest date for which this information is available, stood at 784 personnel out of an establishment of 1,094. While I appreciate that it is not at the establishment figure, this compares favourably to a total strength of 719 at the end of last year. The figures did not decrease last year and they started, tha…
I appreciate that maybe the numbers look small, but this year we had the highest number of direct entry recruitments for specialists in the Naval Service since 2019. While the numbers are smaller, obviously, we are moving in the right direction. There were four direct entries to the Naval Service for electrical engineers, one direct entrant for marine engineering and two direct entries as operational branch officers.…
There are quite a number of different competitions, recruitments and initiatives ongoing, including those specifically for women. They are not necessarily specific to the Naval Service, but it is important that we support and work with the Defence Forces in making sure they are reaching out, whether in our schools or in different industries or sectors, specifically to ensure that we have those specialist positions an…
We have been absolutely committed to the UNIFIL mission for many years. Like, I think, many people, we would prefer not to see it come to an end towards the end of next year. Obviously, we will ensure that our troops who are there are able to carry out those missions. I hope we can look beyond 2026 and still have a presence on the ground because it is still very much needed. I had an opportunity yesterday to meet wit…
In relation to the final question, not every incident is necessarily relayed or the subject of a complaint made in terms of overall complaints to UNIFIL and the Israel Defense Forces concerning military fire, whether on Irish personnel or otherwise. This information is not ordinarily provided by the UN. There are situations and scenarios where we have made complaints and have raised this. Again, that is something I h…
I reiterate that this is a changing environment. It is most certainly a challenging environment, in particular the ongoing situation with Hezbollah in the south of Lebanon. The Lebanese Government is grappling with and trying to respond to this.
The decision has been taken to end UNIFIL. We need to ensure that while our troops are there, they are still engaged in the mission they are committed to and are kept safe.
…
I thank the Deputy. As of 31 October 2025, the strength of the Permanent Defence Force stood at 7,760 personnel, consisting of 6,237 Army, 739 Air Corps and 784 Naval Service personnel, as well as over 400 civilian members.
On foot of the recommendations from the report of the Commission on the Defence Forces, the Government approved a move, over a six-year period, to a level of Permanent Defence Force capability eq…
We all agree that more needs to be done and I do not think the Government is saying anything to the contrary. It is clear that there continues to be a very strong interest in a career in the Defence Forces with further growth this year. Let us look at the figures. A total of 14,879 applications have been received this year, up to the end of October. The most important thing that I need to focus on now is making sure …
While the measures have not changed, what has changed is that the numbers are increasing. I appreciate that might not be at the rate or in the numbers we all want, but numbers have now stabilised and are moving in the right direction. My intention and ambition are to work directly with the Defence Forces to ensure they have the right structure and the capacity and ability to increase the number of recruits. We will s…
As I outlined in an earlier response, a widely reported incident occurred on Monday, 1 December, regarding drones operating in the vicinity of a Naval Service vessel in the Irish Sea. Notwithstanding some suggestions, at no stage was the flight of President Zelenskyy compromised and the security operation led by An Garda Síochána was successfully deployed through multiple means, ultimately leading to a safe and succe…
On the overall response, at all times the Naval Service vessel the Deputy referred to operated within the standing operating procedures, the different rules of engagement and the law of the sea. They could have exercised the right to self-defence if that was what they decided was necessary or needed. These are all of the scenarios and decisions that have been taken that are under review. That is being conducted by th…
We currently have our own drone capacities but they are generally used for surveillance, not trying to counter. There is work under way at the moment to develop a further or future strategy on the acquisition of different types of drones that could be used. That is at an early stage and is being developed. In terms of our subsea capabilities, as part of the NDP plan I mentioned last week, which was published, investm…
While I appreciate that more progress needs to be made, the Deputy is aware that there has been significant progress overall in terms of pay and conditions for Defence Forces personnel, particularly over the past six years. A school-leaver cadet, on commissioning, was paid €30,884 in January 2019. As of 1 August 2025 a school-leaver cadet, on commissioning to second lieutenant is paid €45,795, which is an increase of…
Yes, I intend to meet them in the new year and really look forward to meeting them. I also had an opportunity to meet and speak with cadets who were quite literally mid-training when I was in the Curragh last week.
There were some who had completely changed their career paths because they were passionate about joining the Defence Forces. There were others whose siblings had been members as well and they wanted to jo…
As recognised in the Report on the Commission on the Defence Forces and accepted by the Government, the Defence Forces need to be capable of delivering military effects across the cyber domain. To this end, my Department published the high-level action plan for the report, which included recommendations relating to the Defence Forces' cyberdefence functions. As a result, the Defence Forces have established the joint …
Relating to cybersecurity, the primary role of the Defence Forces is to defend and secure their networks and systems. The role of the Garda is to do the same and to look at other areas as well.
Specifically in relation to the joint cybersecurity command, there are three key pillars to it: the joint command centre, which is receiving investment and is being developed; the strategy itself; and the additional posts. I …