Parliamentary questions

175. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Defence the average time currently required for a new Reserve Defence Forces recruit to complete the joint induction training syllabus and become fully qualified; whether her Department monitors attrition rates during this training process; if so, the attrition rate recorded in each year since the introduction of the syllabus in 2024; and if she will …

176. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Defence the level of annual funding allocated specifically for the development, training and equipment of the Reserve Defence Forces in each year since 2020; whether the Government intends to introduce a dedicated capital funding stream for Reserve Defence Forces capability development; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20336/26]

177. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Defence whether her Department maintains structured data on the reasons for resignation or discharge from the Reserve Defence Forces, including exit interviews or retention surveys; if not, whether she intends to introduce a formal retention monitoring system to support the objectives of the Reserve Defence Force Regeneration Plan; and if she will mak…

179. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Defence the number of procurement projects currently underway within the Defence Forces; the stage each project has reached within the capability development lifecycle; and the estimated value of each project. [20412/26]

180. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Defence the statutory basis, if any, under which troops may be deployed as aid to the civil power following the expiry of the Emergency Powers Act 1976 in 1995; who and in what circumstances may such deployment be authorised; and to provide details on any instances since 1995 where this has been authorised and implemented. [20565/26]

181. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Defence the amount of carbon that will be emitted on all transport and related actions undertaken by her and all members of her staff during their St Patrick’s Day trips in 2026. [20604/26]

182. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Defence the amount of carbon that will be emitted on all transport and related actions undertaken by all Junior Ministers in her Department and their members of staff during their St Patrick’s Day trips in 2026. [20622/26]

183. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Defence if she has paid to offset any of the carbon emitted due to St Patrick’s Day trips in 2026; and the amount paid. [20641/26]

184. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Defence the amount of carbon that has been emitted by transport used by her, the Junior Ministers in her Department, and their staff for each of the past five years; if she has paid to offset any of the carbon emitted because of transport; and the amount paid in each year. [20659/26]

270. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Defence if her Department plans to engage staff from the private sector who work in accountancy and corporate law firms to work in her Department during the course of the upcoming EU Presidency term; the terms under which such staff will be engaged; the number of staff her Department plans to hire; the measures planned to guard against potential conflict…

271. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Defence the total number of applications received to the Permanent Defence Forces; the number of candidates inducted into training; the number of candidates formally attested and sworn into service; whether induction figures are being reported as a substitute for enlistment; and the way in which her Department assures effective governance, oversight, …

272. Deputy Tony McCormack asked the Minister for Defence her plans to introduce a local participation mechanism in Irelands defence procurement process to ensure Irish SME’s are included; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18196/26]

16. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Defence the total capital and current expenditure allocated to the Reserve Defence Forces in each of the years 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024 and 2025; the proportion this represents of the overall defence budget in each year; whether she considers this allocation adequate given the recommendations of the Commission on the Defence Forces; and if sh…

17. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Defence the current strength of the Reserve Defence Forces broken down by Naval Service Reserve, Army Reserve, and Air Corps Reserve; the number of vacancies in each branch; the average waiting time for a reservist to complete initial training; the number of reservists who have resigned in each of the past five years citing training backlogs or equipme…

18. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Defence whether ring-fenced capital funding exists for the Reserve Defence Forces; if not, the reason therefor; whether reservists are currently required to personally purchase any items of equipment or uniform that should be provided by the State; the estimated total value of equipment shortfalls currently experienced by the Reserve Defence Forces; an…

19. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Defence the current status of the Reserve Defence Forces Regeneration and Development Plan; the specific targets within that plan that have been met, partially met, or missed to date; whether the plan contains ring-fenced funding commitments; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17551/26]

20. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Defence the ratio of Reserve Defence Forces personnel to Permanent Defence Force personnel as of the most recent available date; how this compares to comparable EU member states; what target ratio the Department considers appropriate; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17552/26]

21. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Defence the total cost to the State of the procurement of the Dassault Falcon 6X aircraft, including the purchase price, all ancillary costs associated with the transaction, delivery costs, any taxes applicable, crew training costs, modification or fit-out costs, ongoing maintenance contract costs, hangarage and infrastructure costs, and any other expe…

22. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Defence the procurement process followed in the acquisition of the Dassault Falcon 6X aircraft; whether an open competitive tender process was conducted; if not, the legal basis under which the procurement was conducted without competitive tender; whether a value for money assessment was conducted and by whom; whether the Office of Government Procureme…

23. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Defence the projected annual operating cost of the Dassault Falcon 6X aircraft including fuel, crew salaries, maintenance, insurance, and all ancillary costs; how this compares to the annual operating cost of the aircraft it replaces or supplements in the Air Corps fleet; the primary operational purpose for which the aircraft was procured; whether this…

24. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Defence whether the decision to procure the Dassault Falcon 6X was subject to approval by the Government; the date on which such approval was granted; whether any independent military assessment was conducted concluding this aircraft type best met the operational requirements of the Defence Forces; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17556…

25. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Defence whether the Government considers the passenger capacity of 14 persons on the Dassault Falcon 6X to be operationally appropriate for the stated defence and security purposes for which the aircraft was procured; whether a needs assessment was conducted that identified a requirement for an aircraft of this specific passenger configuration; whether…

26. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Defence to outline in full the operational requirements criteria that were established prior to the procurement of the Dassault Falcon 6X; who authored these criteria; whether the criteria were drafted by uniformed Defence Forces personnel, civilian Department staff, or external consultants; whether the criteria were reviewed and approved by the Chief …

27. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Defence whether the primary operational role of the Dassault Falcon 6X is ministerial and government transport, VIP transport, Defence Forces operational transport, maritime patrol, or a combination thereof; what proportion of projected annual flight hours are allocated to each role; whether a dedicated ministerial or government transport aircraft of t…

28. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Defence to explain to the Dáil the operational defence justification for the procurement of an aircraft with a 14-person passenger capacity at a time when the Naval Service cannot fully crew its existing fleet, reservists are reportedly purchasing their own equipment, and the Department's own National Maritime Security Strategy 2026-2030 acknowledges c…