Parliamentary questions

6. Deputy John Connolly asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence for an update on the development of a national maritime security strategy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31156/25]

7. Deputy Seán Crowe asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence if he intends to establish a special review body to examine means of retention of skilled technicians in the Defence Forces; and if the timeframe for the process. [30785/25]

8. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence the basis on which the decision has been taken to legislate for the removal of the triple lock; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31260/25]

9. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence the progress made on the implementation of the rulings of the adjudicator and arbitration board regarding the prohibition of the appointment holder of the director of military prosecutions from being a member of a representative association; if he will implement those rulings immediately by amending the relevant terms and …

10. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence to provide an update on the incident in southern Lebanon where Irish peacekeepers came under fire from the Israel Defence Forces; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29866/25]

11. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence the urgent actions he and his Department will take to ensure that the 505 squadron at Casement Aerodrome at Baldonnel is fully staffed and will not be forced to continue to operate at 50% capacity and a reduced flying schedule; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29865/25]

12. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence if he accepts that abolishing the triple lock was not necessary to release humanitarian deployments or secure the evacuation of Irish citizens abroad, as heard at a recent meeting of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Defence and National Security; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30282/25]

13. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence the role his Department will play in the preparation of a revised national security strategy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30994/25]

14. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence the number of residential Defence Forces buildings that are currently not habitable; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31326/25]

15. Deputy Sinéad Gibney asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence if his Department has conducted any scoping exercises on how any potential increase in overseas deployments will impact the State’s ability to monitor and patrol Irish seas and airspace, in light of the ongoing difficulties with recruitment and retention in the Defence Forces; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31236…

16. Deputy Shane Moynihan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence the progress being made to establish independent command structures for the Air Corps and the Naval Service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30561/25]

17. Deputy Peter 'Chap' Cleere asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence if he will report on his recent visit to Lebanon; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30835/25]

18. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence if he will consider the introduction of service commitment schemes to retain key specialist functions within the Defence Forces; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31324/25]

19. Deputy Séamus McGrath asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence the strength of the permanent Defence Force as of 31 May 2025, or the latest date available; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30834/25]

20. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence if he is aware that it has been reported that the Air Corps is to end 24-hour operations and reduce its service to an 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., five-day week from June 2025, as a crisis in air traffic control has reached a critical point; and if he will ensure that this will not be the case and that operations will be remaining in place …

21. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence the progress his Department has made regarding the establishment of a joint cybersecurity command and other actions related to cybersecurity contained in the Report of the Commission on the Defence Forces. [31325/25]

22. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence if maritime ship-borne radar will be included in the implementation of the military radar programme due to roll out in 2026; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31161/25]

23. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence if he will address the impact of staffing shortages in the air traffic control unit at Baldonnel, which have resulted in the scaling back of operations to five-day coverage; if he is concerned that this reduction limits support to the Irish Coast Guard and restricts the ability to respond to crime, search and rescue, or emergency …

24. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence if he has considered the concerns raised by academics and Defence Forces personnel (details supplied) regarding the proposed removal or amendment of the triple lock mechanism; the way in which such changes would impact Ireland’s long-standing policy of military neutrality; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30707/25]

25. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence the position regarding the development of a naval base in Dún Laoghaire Harbour; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30439/25]

26. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence the timeframe to achieve level of ambition 2 enhanced capability; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30995/25]

27. Deputy John Connolly asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence the capital projects his Department is proposing for inclusion in the review of the national development plan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31157/25]

28. Deputy Paul McAuliffe asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence if he is aware of a campaign group (details supplied) and its calls for the GPO to be given as a veteran centre; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27202/25]

29. Deputy Cathy Bennett asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence the reason the Air Corps has reduced operations to a five-day work week. [31309/25]

30. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence to outline his Department's understanding of the distinction between 'peacekeeping' and 'peace-enforcement' missions under the UN framework; how this will be reflected in the amending legislation he is bringing forward with respect to the triple lock; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30078/25]