Parliamentary questions

270. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence to give an update on his Department’s meeting with the developer of the search and rescue service at Weston Airport, to address concerns of the Air Corps in relation to the need to prevent unauthorised penetrations of military airspace; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62037/25]

1. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence his proposals to remove the triple lock neutrality protection; his plans to bring forward a Bill; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60896/25]

2. Deputy Sinéad Gibney asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence the status of the multi-role vessel programme, and rationale for any change from multi-role vessels to multi-role combat vessels in the context of the reduced ability of multi-role combat vessels to provide humanitarian assistance and disaster relief domestically and internationally; and if he will make a statement on the matter. …

3. Deputy Seán Crowe asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence the current status of the procurement process for the military primary radar system; if rollout of the system will commence in 2026 and full operational status will be achieved by 2028; if there has been any change in the total cost of approximately €300 million for the programme; if the current training courses for such operations i…

4. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence if the triple lock will be retained in view of the support for it demonstrated by the outcome of the presidential election; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60858/25]

5. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence the way in which the shortfall in critical staffing levels in the Defence Forces poses a national security risk; the efforts which are being made to resolve this; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60898/25]

6. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence the level of preparedness within the Defence Forces to respond to cyber or physical interference via subsea communication cables; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60462/25]

7. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence if he will outline the way in which Ireland will balance its policy of military neutrality with increased engagement in EU defence co-operation during its 2026 EU Presidency; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60416/25]

8. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence to provide an update on the issue of chaplains, who are without representation despite working for, and being paid by, his Department. [60515/25]

9. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence the measures being taken to strengthen our cyber defence capabilities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [59446/25]

10. Deputy Keira Keogh asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence the preparedness of the Defence Forces in extreme weather events; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60427/25]

11. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence the current levels of staffing in the naval force as of October 2025; the operational capacity of current staffing levels in regard to naval vessels; the timeframe for recruitment to ensure operation of all existing vessels; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60493/25]

12. Deputy Catherine Callaghan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence to provide an update on Ireland's proposed participation in the EU's SAFE initiative; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [59616/25]

13. Deputy Paul McAuliffe asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence if as part of the implementation of the working time directive in the Defence Forces, he will provide a timeline for the delivery of the welfare measures under strand 2; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60386/25]

14. Deputy Catherine Ardagh asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence the number of new recruits who entered the Defence Forces to date in 2026; the number of persons who left over the same period; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60429/25]

15. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence the means by which his Department plans to reach level of ambition 3 in defence spending; the specific investments being prioritised to enhance Ireland’s radar, sonar and coastal monitoring systems; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60488/25]

16. Deputy Edward Timmins asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence the steps being taken to encourage recruitment to the Defence Forces; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60481/25]

17. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence the measures being taken to protect any threats of damage to vital subterranean and submarine infrastructure, with Ireland being a major international junction of such infrastructure; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60408/25]

18. Deputy Paul McAuliffe asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence his plans to address the challenges of the single pension scheme for Defence Forces personnel; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60385/25]

19. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence the extent to which his Department is preparing to use robotic drones and remote control submersibles to protect undersea cables and infrastructure along the Irish coastline; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60233/25]

20. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence to outline, further to recent Dáil debates, his views on past health and safety measures in the Air Corps; the potential engagements with interested groups; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60509/25]

21. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence if he will provide an update on improvements to pay and conditions for members of the Permanent Defence Force arising from the €485 million allocation for defence pay in budget 2026; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60415/25]

22. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence for an update on plans for Casement Aerodrome, Baldonnel; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60418/25]

23. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence for an update on his Department and the Defence Forces Strategy Statement 2025–2028; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60433/25]

24. Deputy Peter Roche asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence if the Office of Emergency Planning plans to advertise the way in which the public should respond to the various emergencies it deals with; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60388/25]