Parliamentary questions

56. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence the progress made to date in respect of current accommodation projects being carried out by his Department to accommodate members of the Defence Forces; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31220/25]

57. Deputy Naoise Ó Muirí asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence the number of missions completed by the aeromedical service since its establishment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30612/25]

58. Deputy Erin McGreehan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence the strength of the Reserve Defence Force as of 31 May 2025 or the latest date available; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31117/25]

59. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence when the non-commissioned officer rank of lance corporal will be created for the Army, Air Corps and Naval Service, as it was a key recommendation of the Commission on the Defence Forces and is seen as a way to enable personnel to progress earlier in their careers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30437/25]

60. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence to set out the amount of funding allocated to Defence Forces infrastructure for the years 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024 and to 31 May 2025, in tabular form; the number of projects completed, the number of projects under way; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31221/25]

61. Deputy Séamus McGrath asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence the action he is taking to improve retention levels in the Defence Forces; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30833/25]

62. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence for an update on plans to base Air Corps aircraft at Shannon Airport; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31129/25]

63. Deputy John Clendennen asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence to provide an update on the development of a national strategy for the resilience of critical entities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30706/25]

64. Deputy Erin McGreehan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence how he is improving pay and conditions for serving personnel in the Defence Forces; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31116/25]

65. Deputy Tom Brabazon asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence if his Department will consider engaging with the Defence Forces to utilise military driving schools as a means of assisting in the reduction of civilian driving test waiting lists. [31256/25]

66. Deputy Cathy Bennett asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence when he was first apprised of the possibility of the Air Corps reducing its operational hours; if he received recommendations as to how the situation could be averted; and the actions he took to prevent the situation from arising. [31310/25]

67. Deputy Edward Timmins asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence the progress in securing a primary radar system for Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31262/25]

68. Deputy Catherine Callaghan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence the steps being taken to increase the numbers of personnel serving in the Air Corps to ensure an appropriate level of service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30987/25]

69. Deputy Sinéad Gibney asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence the reason, under the Government’s proposed changes to the triple lock, adherence to the principles of the UN Charter and international law underpin deployment of troops instead of adherence to the UN Charter and international law; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31238/25]

70. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence further to Parliamentary Question No. 206 of 8 May 2025, to provide details of the 2025 work programme of the Institute for Security Governance to be progressed throughout the year, which is costing the State €716,000; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31259/25]

71. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence if the general scheme of the defence (amendment) Bill 2025 enables Irish troops to be sent abroad as part of an international force that has not been approved by the UN and is not a peacekeeping, peace enforcement or conflict prevention force. [31230/25]

72. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence if he will outline the consideration he has given and the engagements he has had regarding the impact the repeal of the triple lock neutrality protection would have on Ireland’s neutrality. [31296/25]

73. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence if consideration is being given to amending the Army Pensions Acts 1923 to 1980 following the case of a person (details supplied) who has been refused an Army pension following the death of their son in Lebanon; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31240/25]

74. Deputy Joe Neville asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence the progress to date in improving pension levels for members of the Defence Forces; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30992/25]

75. Deputy Noel McCarthy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence to report on the progress of recruitment campaigns for school leavers considering a career in the Defence Forces; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31308/25]

76. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence to outline any plans he has to improve pay and conditions for members of the Defence Forces; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29867/25]

77. Deputy Sinéad Gibney asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence how his Department plans on addressing the ongoing problems of understaffing in critical Defence Forces infrastructure, such as air traffic controllers; if his actions will be in line with the Defence Forces Group 2021 recommendations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31237/25]

78. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence if a UN General Assembly resolution that endorses, supports, approves or otherwise sanctions an international force or body satisfies the legal requirements of the triple lock, irrespective of whether a UN General Assembly resolution is legally binding in an international law context or not; and if he will make a statement on the m…

79. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence the measures he is taking to ensure the Air Corps remains fully operational at Casement Aerodrome in Baldonnel; his plans to recruit air traffic controllers and other personnel; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30283/25]

80. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence if he will outline any progress made recently in the case of a Defence Forces member who was killed on UN duty in Lebanon (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31241/25]