Parliamentary questions

430. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Defence the number of personnel inducted into the Permanent Defence Force; and the number remaining in service at six months, 12 months and 24 months after induction, by Army, Naval Service and Air Corps, in each of the years from 2020 to 2025. [75306/25]

431. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Defence the number of recruits who commenced initial recruit training, the number who completed training, the number who did not complete, and the reason categories recorded for non-completion, by service in each of the years from 2020 to 2025. [75307/25]

432. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Defence the number of personnel who left the Permanent Defence Force within 12 months of completing initial recruit training; the median length of service at exit; and the reason categories recorded in each of the years from 2020 to 2025. [75308/25]

433. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Defence the authorised establishment strength and the actual strength of the Permanent Defence Forces at year-end for each year from 2020 to 2025 inclusive; and the total number of inductions and total exits in each year. [75309/25]

434. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Defence the current retention strategy for the Permanent Defence Forces; the specific retention targets set by her Department; the key performance indicators used to measure retention; and the most recent results available against those indicators. [75310/25]

435. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Defence if uniforms or equipment have not been issued to some new recruits to the Army due to the fact that their commanders do not have funds available to purchase them; if, for a ceremony for recruits to get their second bar/stripe they had to return uniforms as their own were not available; and if it is the case, that some recruits were sent home…

436. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Defence if a matter (details supplied) will be examined; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1010/26]

437. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Defence her views on a matter (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1184/26]

438. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Defence further to Parliamentary Question No. 237 of 16 December 2025, the mean wait time for security clearance to be granted to reservists in the Defence Forces for each of the years 2021 to 2025, inclusive; and the number of applications for security clearances for reservists in each of those years. [1210/26]

439. Deputy Michael Collins asked the Minister for Defence the coordinates of the LÉ William Butler Yeats which was reported to have been off the coast of Dublin Bay on 1 December 2025, when President Zelenskyy arrived in Ireland for his first official State visit to Ireland (details supplied). [1251/26]

440. Deputy Michael Collins asked the Minister for Defence the reason the LÉ William Butler Yeats was unable to pick up an unidentified vessel on its radar (details supplied). [1252/26]

441. Deputy Michael Collins asked the Minister for Defence the time at which the authorities in Dublin were informed of the presence of the presence of the unidentified vessel on 1 December 2025 [1253/26]

442. Deputy Michael Collins asked the Minister for Defence the position of the Air Corps with regard to operational capability; if they can operate 24/7; if not, if they are operating a restricted service; and if there are sufficient air traffic controllers. [1254/26]

443. Deputy Michael Collins asked the Minister for Defence the plans in place for an increase in Air Corps capacity (details supplied). [1255/26]

444. Deputy Michael Collins asked the Minister for Defence if Air Corps helicopters are capable of night-time operation and surveillance; and if PC12s are capable of night-time reconnaissance. [1256/26]

445. Deputy Michael Collins asked the Minister for Defence the current situation with regard to delivering on the Naval Service reserve launches (details supplied); and if delivery is on schedule. [1258/26]

446. Deputy Michael Collins asked the Minister for Defence if the possibility of recruiting marine engineers from fishing boats or commissioning some of the larger fishing vessels for defence will be considered as an interim measure. [1259/26]

447. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Defence in relation to the drones that were reportedly sighted on the evening of 1 December (details supplied) if there is any footage of these drones; and if so, if the footage will be publicly released. [1579/26]

448. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Defence in relation to the drones that were reportedly sighted on the evening of 1 December, when the Minister became aware of these drones; and the reason an organisation (details supplied), was not informed about the presence of these drones. [1582/26]

449. Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Defence the date on which a supplementary estimate or supplementary estimates was sought in respect of her Department’s Vote for each of the past ten years, and to the date in 2026; the gross and net amount involved in each case; and the Vote subheads to which each supplementary estimate related. [1789/26]

450. Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Defence the value of expenditure originally allocated in the Estimates to specific programmes or staffing measures that could not be spent as planned within the year for each of the past five years; and whether such underspends were surrendered, carried forward or reallocated to other areas within the Vote. [1810/26]

451. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Defence the position regarding any product or service purchased from Israel or the occupied territories by her Department in 2025, broken down by description and amount paid; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1977/26]

452. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Defence whether her Department, or any body under its aegis, has funded, or is funding, other than where legal costs were awarded against the employer by a court or tribunal, the legal costs of any current or concluded litigation taken by an employee or former employee against that Department or body, in each of the past five years; if so, to provide…

453. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Defence the basis on which her Department, or a body under its aegis, may fund the legal costs of an employee or former employee in litigation where that employee is in dispute with, or taking proceedings against, the same body; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2035/26]

454. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Defence whether the funding of employee legal costs in disputes against her Department, or a body under its aegis, is standard practice; if not, the circumstances in which such funding may be permitted; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2053/26]