Parliamentary questions

51. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Defence the type of training provided to staff within her Department in the use of, or understanding of artificial intelligence; if a programme is planned for all staff on their obligations under the EU Artificial Intelligence (AI) Act; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [67459/25]

52. Deputy Paul Donnelly asked the Minister for Defence the number of vacancies by rank within Defence Forces School of Music; when each of those vacancies will be filled, in tabular form. [67635/25]

53. Deputy Paul Donnelly asked the Minister for Defence if a new cadetship recruitment campaign for the army will be launched early in the new year. [67636/25]

54. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Defence her views on whether it was necessary for Defence Forces personnel to draw weapons against protesters targeting planes in Shannon owned by a military which provides logistical support to a country that her Government considers guilty of genocide (details supplied). [67999/25]

55. Deputy Ryan O'Meara asked the Minister for Defence the existing direct entry, lateral entry and re-entry mechanisms for recruitment to the Permanent Defence Force and the Reserve Defence Force; the number of personnel recruited under these mechanisms in 2025; if she intends creating additional entry pathways; the timeline for delivery of each pathway; and if she will make a statement on the ma…

204. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Defence the number of participants in the civil defence in each local authority; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [67099/25]

205. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Defence to outline plans to ensure that cadet pay is ahead of the minimum wage and that the Defence Forces remain an attractive career path. [66902/25]

206. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Defence to list all funding schemes, grant programmes and any other financial supports that are currently administered by her Department and its agencies; the expected launch and closing dates for applications for each scheme in 2026, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [66925/25]

207. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Defence the number of members of the Defence Forces that have availed of the opportunity to continue working after the increase in August 2024 in the mandatory retirement age from 60 to 62. [67036/25]

208. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Defence the progress in emission reduction targets in areas that are the responsibility of her Department; which measures are particularly successful and which measures are underperforming; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [67045/25]

209. Deputy Conor D. McGuinness asked the Minister for Defence whether the digital media presences, across multiple platforms, of a person (details supplied) are part of Defence Forces or Department of Defence communications; whether posts on these accounts are sanctioned by the Defence Forces or Department of Defence; whether the opinions expressed on these platforms align with the foreign, defen…

210. Deputy Conor D. McGuinness asked the Minister for Defence further to Parliamentary Question No. 179 of 17 June 2025, if she or her predecessor authorised the use of social media influencers by the Defence Forces for recruitment and communications; and her views on whether there may be conflicts of interest caused by social media accounts advertising careers in the Defence Forces while simulta…

211. Deputy Conor D. McGuinness asked the Minister for Defence if she is aware that a number of digital media accounts purporting to be operated by a person (details supplied) and promoting recruitment to the Defence Forces regularly share content and opinions on political and international affairs, and if these accounts are not sanctioned by Government or the Defence Forces, the policy of Governm…

212. Deputy Charles Ward asked the Minister for Defence if any military personnel or Department officials attended a recent conference in Israel organised by the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) on their intensive multifront campaign over the past two years, or any recent training conference or seminars organised by the IDF; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [67246/25]

179. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Defence if pay for reservists will be re-instated; the rationale for the withdrawal of payments that has taken place (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [65193/25]

180. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Defence further to Parliamentary Question No. 191 of 18 February 2025, for an update on any progress by military authorities in their consideration of the report and recommendations of the Defence Forces Colour Vision Working Group on colour vision requirements for entry to the Defence Forces; when she will publish this report; and when the reco…

181. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Defence the amount her Department and any body under her aegis have spent on the services of a company (details supplied), by year and organisation in the years 2020 to 1 November 2025, in tabular form. [66075/25]

182. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Defence the amount her Department and any body under her aegis have spent on the services of a company (details supplied), by year and organisation in the years 2020 to 1 November 2025, in tabular form. [66093/25]

183. Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Defence to provide the Department’s annual expenditure on State Claims Agency costs for the years 2020–2025. [66348/25]

96. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Defence if the Defence Forces are under contract with a company (details supplied); the length of the contract; when it commenced; and the amount paid to date for the contract. [64366/25]

97. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Defence if the Defence Forces have ever held a contract with a company (details supplied); when the contract terminated; and the amount spent on the contract. [64367/25]

231. Deputy George Lawlor asked the Minister for Defence the number of vacancies which arose at principal officer level for the years 2022, 2023, 2024 and to date in 2025 in his Department and agencies under the aegis of his Department; the number of these vacancies filled between internal and external methods; the number of vacancies each year at principal officer level filled by mobility; the nu…

232. Deputy Naoise Ó Muirí asked the Minister for Defence the countries with whom Ireland has a memorandum of understanding in respect of defence cooperations, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63112/25]

233. Deputy Naoise Ó Muirí asked the Minister for Defence his plans to renew the memorandum of understanding on defence with Finland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63113/25]

234. Deputy Naoise Ó Muirí asked the Minister for Defence if Ireland will be signing an agreement with a company to replace its fleet (details supplied); the timeline involved in such a decision; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63114/25]