Parliamentary questions

50. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence his views on whether NATO warships carrying out drills with the Naval Service compromises Irish neutrality; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [59245/25]

51. Deputy Keira Keogh asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence the gender balance of the latest recruits to the Defence Forces cadet programmes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60422/25]

52. Deputy Conor D. McGuinness asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence the consideration given to introducing guard ceremonies at the Defence Forces monument at Merrion Square in Dublin and in other locations in the State on a regular basis. [59619/25]

53. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence for a report on his attendance at the recent RACO conference; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60432/25]

54. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence the current budget he has secured for defence in 2026 under Vote 36; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60413/25]

55. Deputy Sinéad Gibney asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence his Department’s position on the feasibility and legality regarding defence of subsea cables outside of Irish territorial waters; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60394/25]

56. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence if the Government will commit to increasing pay for defence force cadets, who are currently paid below minimum wage; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60492/25]

57. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence to comment on the report from the committee of the British-Irish Parliamentary Assembly which recommends that the UK and Ireland establish a joint statutory cables protection commission to protect and monitor communication cables, gas pipelines and other maritime infrastructure; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5717…

58. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence the details of the historic weaponry and machinery his Department still holds; if this is held in archive; if there are plans to conserve this equipment, sell it or destroy it; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60234/25]

59. Deputy Joe Cooney asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence given the risk to our undersea cables and other critical sub-sea infrastructure, the steps his Department is taking to increase the level of naval protection for Irelands Exclusive Economic Zone; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60300/25]

60. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence the measures he is taking to improve retention levels in the Defence Forces; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60417/25]

61. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence his views on the issue of pension entitlements for personnel who joined the Defence Forces after 2013; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60508/25]

62. Deputy Sinéad Gibney asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence if his Department will take action to ensure Defence Forces cadets are in receipt of minimum wage during their training, and paid wages that are commensurate with privates of the same level of experience; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60398/25]

63. Deputy James O'Connor asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence the allocation he secured for Permanent Defence Force pay in budget 2026; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60482/25]

64. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence for an update on each of the three elements under the military radar programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60407/25]

65. Deputy James O'Connor asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence the changes for Defence Forces pay under budget 2026; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60483/25]

66. Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence when the Defence Forces regulation regarding a directive of military prosecutions will be amended following his announcement on 14 October 2025; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60383/25]

67. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence the progress to date in developing a national maritime security strategy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60409/25]

68. Deputy Catherine Ardagh asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence the discussions he has had with the Department of Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation in relation to pension entitlements for members of the permanent Defence Forces; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60430/25]

69. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence in view of his support for chaplains to the Defence Forces having representation, his plans to agree to amending the PDF’s conciliation and arbitration scheme to provide for such representation in this administrative scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60435/25]

70. Deputy Aisling Dempsey asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence to ensure that all Defence Forces personnel in full-time residential training receive subsistence where they cannot be rationed, including officers attending third level educational institutions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60381/25]

71. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence the number of members of the Defence Forces who have protection orders or barring orders against them; the protocol within the Defence Forces for dealing with an individual member of the force with a protection order or barring order issued to them; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60455/25]

72. Deputy Cathy Bennett asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence if he has considered altering height requirements with regard to enlistment eligibility for the Defence Forces. [60471/25]

73. Deputy Sinéad Gibney asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence if his Department has explored options and estimated resources required for Irish participation in ongoing UN peacekeeping missions such as UNDOF in advance of the wind-down of UNIFIL, to preserve Ireland’s unbroken record of participation in UN peacekeeping; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60396/25]

74. Deputy Edward Timmins asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence the steps being taken to increase our defence capabilities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60480/25]