Parliamentary questions

105. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Defence the current total number of members of the Reserve Defence Forces, based in each county, and the corresponding figures for 1996, 2001, 2006, 2011, 2016 and 2021. [33099/26]

106. Deputy James O'Connor asked the Minister for Defence if she will outline any improvements to pay and working conditions for members of the Defence Forces; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32728/26]

107. Deputy Louis O'Hara asked the Minister for Defence to provide an update on the planned legislation to abolish the triple lock; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32066/26]

108. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Defence the timeframe for legislation to underpin the appointment and status of military chaplains; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33121/26]

109. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Defence for an update on her Departments securing of a medium lift helicopter, in terms of being able to monitor our seas at speed. [33409/26]

110. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Defence if she will provide necessary benefits and improve the quality of work for Defence Forces personnel in accordance with the European Social Charter; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33102/26]

111. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Defence if she will provide an update on the current situation in South Lebanon; the current activities and conditions of the Defence Forces on the UNIFIL mission; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32718/26]

112. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Defence the timeframe for the appointment of an adjudicator for the Defence Forces conciliation and arbitration scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33123/26]

113. Deputy Noel McCarthy asked the Minister for Defence to provide an update on the Naval Service’s current fleet complement; the number of ships that are fully crewed and are regularly at sea; the number that are currently undergoing maintenance; her plans to add to current fleet numbers or to replace existing vessels; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32979/26]

114. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Defence for an update on plans for a full-time naval base in Dún Laoghaire; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33113/26]

115. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Defence in view of the deterioration in the geopolitical environment, if consideration will be given to the establishment of forward operating bases in areas which are distant from Army barracks and also considering the long land border we have with a neighbouring jurisdiction; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33329/26]

116. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Defence the progress made to date on reviewing the structure of the Army, taking into account the recommendation of the Commission on the Defence Forces; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33328/26]

117. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Defence for an update on the issue of chaplains, their terms and conditions and the issue of being without representation despite working for and being paid by her Department. [33406/26]

118. Deputy Conor D. McGuinness asked the Minister for Defence the current capacity of An tSeirbhís Chabhlaigh to ensure the security of the State’s maritime area in the areas of defence, drug enforcement and fisheries protection; and if she is satisfied with the current capacity of the Naval Service to deal with these issues. [33103/26]

119. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Defence her views on whether sending Irish troops on military missions without the safeguards of the triple lock system would jeopardise Ireland’s military neutrality; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33101/26]

120. Deputy Joe Cooney asked the Minister for Defence whether the Shannon Estuary and County Clare will be included for consideration as a potential location for the proposed new Naval Service base on the west coast of Ireland, as referenced in the National Maritime Security Strategy 2026–2030; the criteria are being applied as part of the site selection process for this base; and if she will make…

121. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Defence further to Parliamentary Question No. 256 of 24 March 2026, whether the Strategic Workforce Plan currently under development includes consideration of a formal lateral transfer policy for experienced personnel from other militaries; whether any such policy is being actively progressed by her Department or the Defence Forces; whether it is i…

122. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Defence if she will quantify the amount of non-lethal equipment that the Defence Forces have donated to their Ukrainian counterparts since the start of the Russo-Ukrainian War; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32714/26]

123. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Defence further to Parliamentary Question No. 256 of 24 March 2026, whether the Strategic Workforce Plan currently under development includes consideration of a formal lateral transfer policy for experienced personnel from other militaries; whether any proposals in this regard are being actively examined by her Department or the Defence Forces; and…

124. Deputy Noel McCarthy asked the Minister for Defence the number of recruitment applications the Defence Forces received, approved and rejected in each respective year from 2021 to 2025 inclusive and to date in 2026, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32978/26]

125. Deputy Seán Crowe asked the Minister for Defence if she will report on any discussions had with the UN regarding any missions that Irish peacekeepers may take part in following the cessation of the UNIFIL mission; if discussions have been had regarding Irish peacekeepers remaining in Lebanon after 2026 to support the Lebanese armed forces; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3321…

126. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Defence the way in which her Department is supporting defence-relevant critical entities in meeting the enhanced cyber-resilience obligations set out in the National Strategy on the Resilience of Critical Entities 2026-2029, particularly in light of the requirements arising from the CER Directive and NIS2; and if she will make a statement on the …

127. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Defence the functions formerly performed by the Defence Forces that the Government has outsourced since 2020. [33100/26]

128. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Defence the additional defence and security costs that will arise from protecting the Celtic Interconnector; whether the Defence Forces currently have the capacity to meet the demands associated with protecting this critical subsea infrastructure; if she will outline any planned increases in maritime surveillance and resourcing in response to he…

129. Deputy Erin McGreehan asked the Minister for Defence if the new east coast naval base will be located in Louth; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32715/26]