Parliamentary questions

319. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Defence further to Parliamentary Question No. 358 of 21 April 2026, if she is now in a position to supply the data requested; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36790/26]

320. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Defence further to Parliamentary Question No. 362 of 21 April 2026, if she is now in a position to supply the data requested; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36793/26]

321. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Defence further to Parliamentary Question No. 363 of 21 April 2026, if she is now in a position to supply the data requested; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36794/26]

322. Deputy Aidan Farrelly asked the Minister for Defence if any military personnel from either the Air Corps and or Naval Service went to France for specialist military training in each of the years 2024, 2025 and to-date in 2026; and if so, the name of such course and duration, in tabular form. [36902/26]

323. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Defence the procurement mechanism used for the acquisition of the four Airbus H145 helicopters for the Air Corps; whether the acquisition was conducted through an open competitive tender process, a negotiated procedure, a Government-to-Government arrangement, or another procurement framework; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37022/26]

324. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Defence whether any exemption from standard public procurement procedures or EU defence procurement requirements was applied in relation to the acquisition of the four Airbus H145 helicopters for the Air Corps; the legal basis relied upon for any such exemption; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37023/26]

325. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Defence whether a formal value-for-money assessment, benchmarking exercise, or comparative procurement analysis was conducted prior to approval of the acquisition of the four Airbus H145 helicopters; whether comparisons were made with similar acquisitions by other EU member states; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37024/26]

326. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Defence the total approved acquisition cost associated with the four Airbus H145 helicopters for the Air Corps, including airframes, training, maintenance support, spare parts, mission systems, avionics, and associated infrastructure costs; and if she will provide a breakdown of same. [37025/26]

327. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Defence whether the recommendations of the Commission on the Future of the Defence Forces were considered during the procurement process relating to the acquisition of the four Airbus H145 helicopters; whether the Department assessed medium-lift helicopter capability requirements as part of that process; and if she will make a statement on the matter.…

328. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Defence whether any Israeli-manufactured, Israeli-developed, or Israeli-origin systems, avionics, software, communications equipment, sensors, or mission components form part of the Airbus H145 helicopters acquired for the Air Corps; whether ministerial approval was specifically sought or granted in relation to any such components; and if she will mak…

329. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Defence whether Cabinet approval was required and obtained in relation to the acquisition of the four Airbus H145 helicopters for the Air Corps; the date on which approval was granted; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37028/26]

330. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Defence whether any independent external consultancy, technical advisory body, or procurement specialist was engaged to advise the Department in relation to the acquisition of the four Airbus H145 helicopters; the identity of any such body; the cost of such consultancy services; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37029/26]

331. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Defence the expected operational role of the four Airbus H145 helicopters within the Air Corps fleet structure; whether the aircraft are classified by the Department as light utility helicopters, medium-lift helicopters, or otherwise; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37030/26]

332. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Defence whether any further helicopter procurement programme remains under consideration by the Department in relation to medium-lift capability for the Air Corps; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37031/26]

333. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Defence if her Department has any usage policy on or if it sanctions for official purposes the use of messaging apps (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37198/26]

334. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Defence the amount spent on purchasing replacement musician instruments for Defence Forces School of Music in 2025 and to-date in 2026, in tabular form. [37276/26]

335. Deputy Naoise Ó Muirí asked the Minister for Defence if she is aware of the condition of a property a person (details supplied) is residing in; if she is aware of the person's desire to regularise the tenancy arrangements with her Department in order that repairs can be undertaken, including repair of the house and possible subsidence issues that can be resolved; and if she will make a statem…

336. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Defence to provide assurance that the State is prepared to address any potential drone attack without breaching necessary security provisions, including from AI powered drones, during Ireland's Presidency of the EU Council and the hosting of the European Political Summit. [37432/26]

337. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Defence the number of additional staff employed or that will be employed by her Department directly or under contract for the purposes of Ireland’s presidency of the Council of the European Union in 2026. [37449/26]

193. Deputy Aidan Farrelly asked the Minister for Defence if her 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. [35862/26]

194. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Defence the number of retired Defence Force personnel who currently have their pension entitlement abated due to being employed in other sectors of the public sector; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35906/26]

195. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Defence the current status of the proposed procurement of medium-lift or super medium-lift helicopters as recommended by the Commission on the Future of the Defence Forces; whether a procurement process has commenced or is planned; the estimated timeline for any such acquisition programme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36007/26]

196. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Defence whether the acquisition of the four Airbus H145 helicopters is intended by the Department to satisfy, replace, defer, or partially fulfil the recommendations of the Commission on the Future of the Defence Forces relating to medium-lift helicopter capability; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36008/26]

197. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Defence whether alternative rotary-wing aircraft platforms, including lower-cost light utility helicopter configurations, were evaluated during the procurement process for the four Airbus H145 helicopters; whether comparative operational, training, maintenance, lifecycle, and value-for-money assessments were conducted between aircraft categories; and …

198. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Defence the primary operational rationale underpinning the selection of the Airbus H145 platform for the Air Corps; whether the procurement was principally intended to address pilot training, utility transport, air ambulance support, tactical deployment, maritime support, or multi-role operational capability requirements; and if she will make a statem…