Parliamentary questions

223. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Defence the present enlistment in the Permanent Defence Forces; the proposals there are to increase recruitment and improve retention levels in 2026; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13943/26]

224. Deputy Brian Brennan asked the Minister for Defence given the importance of ensuring sovereignty of national defence capabilities, supply chain resilience, and knowledge transfer when it comes to Defence Procurement, when she plans to publish a local procurement framework, outlining the positive economic impact for Irish SME’s and how can they engage in the Governments defence procurement pro…

225. Deputy Brian Brennan asked the Minister for Defence considering that Ireland is a net contributor to the EU budget and as an increasing proportion of the next Multiannual Financial Framework is allocated to defence and security-related programmes, the strategy that is in place to position Irish SMEs and indigenous firms to participate in and repatriate EU defence funding through the developme…

22. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Defence the funding allocated to NGOs by her Department in 2025; the funding allocated to NGOs by agencies and bodies under the remit of her Department; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13082/26]

23. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Defence the total number of current Defence Forces personnel in terms of the Army, Air Corps and Naval Service and the Reserve Defence Force, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13220/26]

24. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Defence the total number of people recruited to the Defence Forces since 2020 who have since left the Defence Forces, broken down by each year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13221/26]

25. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Defence the number of people who have joined the Defence Forces since 2020, broken down by each year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13222/26]

26. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Defence the number of people who have left the Defence Forces since 2020, broken down by each year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13223/26]

27. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Defence if she will outline those duties and services formerly completed internally by Defence Forces personnel that have now been outsourced or privatised, in each of the years since 2018, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13224/26]

28. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Defence to provide information (details supplied) on medical assessments for each of the years 2023, 2024 and 2025, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13393/26]

140. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Defence her views on the revised defence plan deadlines in the detailed implementation plan for the transformation of the Defence Forces that have been pushed out again by Government, which will result in major defence projects such as the anti-drone CUAS system being delayed again; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12541/26]

141. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Defence if her Department will now commit to paying members of the Defence Forces premiums for public holidays and overtime following the decision by the European Committee of Social Rights, which said both the prohibition on overtime across the Defence Forces and the lack of adequate provision for payment of public holiday premiums were breaches of …

142. Deputy Seán Crowe asked the Minister for Defence if she will report on the damage sustained by LÉ Aoibhinn as a result of Storm Chandra and all necessary repairs that will need to be carried out; the operational status of LÉ Gobnait and her readiness to go to sea should the damage to LÉ Aoibhinn have been more severe; the status of the proposed forward operating base, FOB, on the east coast a…

143. Deputy Sinéad Gibney 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. [12885/26]

144. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Defence if she will outline her proposals to remove the triple lock neutrality protection; when she intends to bring forward a Bill; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12539/26]

145. Deputy Edward Timmins asked the Minister for Defence the steps being taken to improve the defence of the country in view of the changing geopolitical landscape; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12874/26]

146. Deputy Catherine Ardagh asked the Minister for Defence for an overview of the strategic HR and cultural change to be delivered under the updated Implementation Plan for the Report of the Commission on the Defence Forces. [12374/26]

147. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Defence if she will commit to a public plebiscite on the question of the removal of the triple lock; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11687/26]

148. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Defence the number of people currently enlisted in the Reserve Defence Force; the measures that will be taken to increase the number enlisted; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12482/26]

149. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Defence to report on the analysis she has conducted on the impact of her proposal to remove the triple lock on Irish neutrality; the safeguards that will be in place to guarantee Irish neutrality if the triple lock is removed; to report on the engagements she has had on the matter; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12368/26]

150. Deputy Erin McGreehan asked the Minister for Defence if she will report on the revised NDP defence sectoral plan for the period 2026 to 2030; the way in which defence infrastructure in Louth will benefit from this; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12179/26]

151. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Defence the measures being taken to increase recruitment into the Permanent Defence Force; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12481/26]

152. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Defence the communications she has had with other members of the United Nations about Ireland’s departure from the UN mandate to deploy troops abroad; and the interdepartmental communications she has had regarding the timeline of changes to ‘triple lock’ legislation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8697/26]

153. Deputy Tony McCormack asked the Minister for Defence the way the new strategic framework for the transformation of the Defence Forces will improve Defence Forces working conditions; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12176/26]

154. Deputy James O'Connor asked the Minister for Defence her plans to achieve a greater balance of numbers across the three services in the Defence Forces; the measures to be taken in this regard, specifically for the Naval Service; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12501/26]