Helen McEntee

I thank the Deputies. I will touch on a number of points. It has been suggested that this is an attempt to sneak something in and to avoid debate and proper consideration but that is not reflected in the facts. Since coming into this Department and first engaging with our Defence Forces, particularly our Naval Service, and since publishing the maritime security strategy, I have been very clear tha…

This is about taking something that is currently in regulations made under the Defence Act and putting it into primary legislation. It does not change the provisions made under the regulations. This has been worked on for some time. We are simply putting it on a new statutory footing. I repeat that the Defence Forces provide aid to the civil power, for example, An Garda Síochána, at least 3,000 ti…

-----I thought it would be appropriate to do so.

I fully agree with the Deputy. We can all see that we are living in a very changed world and a more complex world, particularly when it comes to our overall security environment. That being said, I want to make it absolutely clear that the Government has no desire to change our position and our policy of military neutrality. This is something that is long-standing and something that the vast major…

The Deputy said this is about protecting future Governments that might decide to deploy our troops to missions that are not based on the UN Charter and are not upholding and protecting fundamental principles of international law. What I am saying very clearly is that the legislation would have this enshrined in it. It would be very clear as to how and when our troops could be deployed. There would…

The first thing to say is that any change to our triple lock does not change our position of neutrality. Our position of neutrality is about joining military alliances. If we are to deploy troops under this new legislation, it would have to align with, adhered to and be firmly grounded in the principles of the UN Charter and international law. That would be our law, so to do anything other than th…

I fully agree. The world is changing. We need to expand our Defence Forces. We need to enhance our capabilities. However, we need to make sure we have the men and women in our Defence Forces to be able to operate and be able to grow in the way we need to. That means looking to retain those we have but also encouraging more and supporting our cadets as well. As the Deputy will be aware, there has …

I agree. I would like to see things move on. I would like to see a resolution as quickly as possible. It is obviously going through the process. Again, the current public service pay agreement to which the members of the Permanent Defence Forces are party provides for that local bargaining process. It provides for that 3% of basic pay, with the 1% to be paid from the current agreement and the bala…

I stress that the claim was received by the Representative Association of Commissioned Officers. The claim is being dealt with under the conciliation and arbitration scheme for members of the Permanent Defence Forces. The Deputy will appreciate the discussions under the conciliation and arbitration scheme are confidential but I look forward to, and hope we can have, that constructive engagement an…

I thank the Deputy for raising this. I acknowledge the Deputy's engagement around the issue. I welcome the opportunity to set out the position as it stands. As there are multiple ongoing cases before the courts, as I have stated previously, I am limited in terms of what I can say so that I do not prejudice any of the ongoing litigation. The Deputy has said previously that it is possible to discuss…

There are 22 active cases before the courts, which we are trying to engage with. Like the Deputy, I want to understand whether this is something that is happening on a wider scale but at the same time, we have to identify whether or not there is a consistent pattern here. Work has been done within the Department to see whether this is something that has been happening on a broader scale and whethe…

The Deputy referenced Australia. The case in Australia involved de-seal and reseal programmes. The maintenance workers were quite literally required to physically climb into fuel tanks of F111 fighter jets. They worked in extremely cramped conditions for extended periods with chronic confined exposure to concentrated hazardous substances. Nobody has suggested at any point that this is in any way a…

We have said very clearly that there need to be better health and safety standards. That is something that has been made very clear and those changes have been made. As the Deputy has outlined, we have a significant number of different conditions that have come to the fore with the litigants who have been mentioned. However, it has not yet been identified whether this was specific to the exposure.

I told the Deputy that there was a body of work being done initially to see if there is a connection. Is there an increased level of particular types of health complications? Was there an increased level within the Air Corps during that time because of that exposure?

That body of work is still under way at the moment. I do not think we can say this is the same as Australia.

That work is under way and I will bring that to the Dáil and to the Deputy's attention when I can. If people have been harmed here, I want to make sure we know about it. I also want to make sure that those involved in the process can engage with us and come to a conclusion on that process.

I thank the Deputy for raising this matter. There has been significant investment in the Defence Forces built infrastructure in recent years. The capital expenditure for building works in military installations and barracks across the country for the past five years was approximately €170 million, and for this year alone is close to €70 million. In particular, the development of accommodation for …

I agree that we need action. We need to make sure that the money we have allocated, all €1.7 billion of it, in particular the money that is specific to accommodation, is spent and that projects are ready to go.

In this year alone, we are up to €70 million, and that includes accommodation, but also dining facilities, a new gym and overall critical infrastructure. It will be over €400 million in the coming years. We need to make sure that we have projects ready to go and lined up. As I said, 63 residential properties have been identified as uninhabitable. The projects that are being progressed include ref…

I have been in the Curragh a number of times. It is synonymous with the Defence Forces and is long-standing in terms of what it has provided and supported for Defence Forces members for many years, including accommodation and training on the grounds. I want to do everything possible to invest in new infrastructure but also to bring what is derelict back into use and ensure we are making the best u…

We need to look at all of the stock in the Defence Forces. We need to make sure that where we can refurbish, we are doing that, and where we need to build new, we are doing that, but also that we are looking at other options, whether with the local authorities or other associations. I am happy to look at any proposals or suggestions that the Deputy has raised. More broadly, the Deputy spoke about…

I am very conscious, as we all are, of the narrative that Ireland has not been spending enough and that we have not invested in the Defence Forces. I think we all agree that we need to do more and spend more. That is why, in the past six months, we have seen an increase in our overall capital plan for the Defence Forces of 55%. We have a new defence sectoral national development plan from 2026 to …

We are in a good place in terms of the increased investment that we have agreed to. I think we need to do more. I fully agree with the Deputy. My intention is that if SAFE, a fund that is applicable to all member states, opens up again, which I believe it will, Ireland should be applying for funding through SAFE. We should be using our own money that we are investing in Europe to be able to invest…

I agree. There are two things we need to do. First, we need to spend more and we need to spend wisely. The investment in our military radar programme and our counter-drone technology is absolutely essential. We are also investing in sonar equipment in order that we can scan our seabed and make sure we know what is happening underwater as well as above the sea. I also mention the sonar buoys that a…

I propose to take Questions Nos. 73 and 84 together. I am fully committed to supporting the Defence Forces to increase numbers and, overall, to strengthening our Defence Forces. It was positive to see the growth in numbers last year, with 790 inductions. I have set a target of 850 inductions for 2026. Indeed, overall application numbers for careers in the Defence Forces continue to grow, with a t…