Questions

201. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Defence whether the lifecycle operating costs, maintenance costs, and projected service-life costs associated with the Airbus H145 helicopters were independently assessed prior to procurement approval; whether comparative modelling was undertaken against alternative rotary-wing platforms; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36213/26]

202. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Defence whether the Government considered the acquisition of a larger number of lower-cost helicopters in place of a smaller number of higher-capability aircraft for pilot training, utility support, and general Air Corps operational requirements; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36214/26]

203. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Defence whether the acquisition of the Airbus H145 helicopters forms part of a wider long-term rotary-wing fleet modernisation strategy for the Air Corps; whether additional helicopter acquisitions remain planned; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36215/26]

204. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Defence whether her Department has conducted any assessment of the strategic implications arising from dependence upon foreign-origin mission systems, avionics, software, or specialist operational components in relation to the Airbus H145 fleet; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36216/26]

205. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Defence whether the Airbus H145 helicopters procured for the Air Corps are intended solely for pilot training and utility support purposes, or whether the aircraft are also intended for operational, tactical, security, force-protection, or armed support roles; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36217/26]

206. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Defence whether any weapons systems, weapons mounts, weapons integration capability, force-protection systems, or armed operational configurations have been procured, approved, planned, or considered in connection with the Airbus H145 helicopters acquired for the Air Corps; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36218/26]

207. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Defence whether Cabinet approval was specifically sought in relation to any armed operational capability, weapons integration capability, or tactical mission configuration associated with the Airbus H145 helicopters; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36219/26]

208. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Defence whether her Department has developed an operational doctrine, mission profile framework, or strategic capability assessment relating to the intended operational use of the Airbus H145 helicopters within the Air Corps; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36220/26]

209. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Defence whether the Airbus H145 helicopters acquired for the Air Corps are capable of being configured for armed operations, tactical deployment, counter-terrorism support, force protection, or special operations support; whether such capabilities formed part of the procurement assessment process; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36221/26]

210. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Defence whether any review has been conducted into the consistency of current State aviation procurement policy across the Defence Forces, Air Corps, and Garda Air Support Unit, including procurement standards, certification arrangements, operational oversight, and compliance with stated Government procurement policies; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36…

211. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Defence whether the Department of Defence or Air Corps will assume responsibility for airworthiness oversight, operational certification, or regulatory assurance relating to the Airbus H145 helicopters procured for use by the Garda Air Support Unit; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36229/26]

212. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Defence whether the Government has conducted a legal or regulatory assessment concerning Ireland's international civil aviation obligations in relation to the operation, certification and oversight of State or military aircraft utilised in support of An Garda Síochána operations; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36230/26]

213. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Defence to provide a copy of the recent correspondence issued by the Minister for Public Expenditure; National Development Plan Delivery and Reform to her Department referred to in media reports (details supplied); if she will provide details of the percentage reduction(s) in spending in her Department referenced in the correspondence; and if she will make a statement on th…

214. Deputy John Clendennen asked the Minister for Defence if she will provide a breakdown of spending on advertising that was funded or overseen by her Department, and bodies under its aegis, in each of the past five years, including a breakdown by medium, that is, radio, television and social media, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36486/26]

215. Deputy Peter Roche asked the Minister for Transport the actions his Department is taking to address the rise in anti-social behaviour on public transport, noting that Iarnród Éireann received more than a thousand reports of such incidents on its services last year; and the measures being put in place to ensure the safety of passengers and staff across rail, bus and Luas services; and if he will make a statement …

216. Deputy Natasha Newsome Drennan asked the Minister for Transport the amount of agricultural land that has been the subject of compulsory purchase orders for greenways; and at what cost; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35743/26]

217. Deputy Joanna Byrne asked the Minister for Transport the reason for spending €3 million on a temporary train station for the 2027 tournament (details supplied); where the funds are drawn from; if funds ringfenced for other projects are being diverted to pay for a temporary train station; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35810/26]

218. Deputy Aidan Farrelly asked the Minister for Transport if his Department or any bodies and agencies under its aegis use, or have in the past used, software and or products from a company (details supplied); the duration and cost of the contract; and the services they avail of from the company. [35875/26]

219. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Transport the spend to date on contactless payments for buses; and when these will be available in Cork. [35883/26]

220. Deputy Ann Graves asked the Minister for Transport to respond to concerns raised about Ireland's aviation safety (details supplied); and if Ireland's aviation safety meets the full EU and international standards. [35918/26]

221. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Transport whether any public representatives, Oireachtas offices, constituency offices or public bodies were previously provided with or directed to use the email address tdrepsappeals@ndls.ie; and if so, by whom and during what period. [36202/26]

222. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Transport whether the RSA or NDLS has undertaken any internal review to determine whether correspondence from public representatives may have been sent to an inactive or unmonitored email address; and if he will provide details of such review. [36203/26]

223. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Transport the number of complaints received from public representatives regarding delayed or unanswered driver licensing representations in 2024, 2025 and to date in 2026. [36204/26]

224. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Transport whether the RSA maintains formal service-level targets for responding to correspondence from public representatives; and if so, to provide those targets. [36205/26]

225. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Transport the average response time for correspondence received through reps@rsa.ie in 2024, 2025 and to date in 2026. [36206/26]