Parliamentary questions

81. Deputy Shane Moynihan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence to outline the recruitment targets across the Defence Forces for each of the next three years as part of the transition to level of ambition 2; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30560/25]

82. Deputy Eamon Scanlon asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence if he will report on his attendance at a recent conference (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31253/25]

83. Deputy Conor D. McGuinness asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence the total cost of the most recent public recruitment campaign for the naval forces; and the current number of new recruits who have joined the force since the campaign began. [31307/25]

84. Deputy Naoise Ó Muirí asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence the number of volunteers with the Civil Defence; the plans to help promote participation in the Civil Defence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30611/25]

216. Deputy Sinéad Gibney asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence if there are deployments being planned in anticipation of the removal of the triple lock, for example, with EU Battlegroups or other international forces without UN mandate; the scope of those deployments; who they are in conjunction with; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31775/25]

217. Deputy Sinéad Gibney asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence his Department's understanding of the scope and limitations of "strengthening international security" as justification for deployment of members of the Defence Forces overseas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31774/25]

218. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence the total estimated cost to the Exchequer associated with the recent renaming and rebranding of his Department including but not limited to cost categories (details supplied); the breakdown of the incurred or projected costs; and if a cost-benefit analysis or any assessment of public value was carried out prior to approving these …

219. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence if he is aware that a person (details supplied) has been refused a disability pension even though they developed psychosis after taking the drug larium while serving in Chad in 2009; and if he will request his Departmental officials to review this decision; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31393/25]

220. Deputy Maeve O'Connell asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence to report on his Department’s progress on publishing its new Statement of Strategy. [31401/25]

221. Deputy Maeve O'Connell asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence to report the number of fishery protection patrols undertaken by the Air Corps in 2022, 2023 and 2024. [31402/25]

222. Deputy Maeve O'Connell asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence to confirm if a critical review of the RDF regeneration and development plan is scheduled at any point, to assess the plan’s effectiveness and implementation; and if any actions listed therein require review. [31403/25]

223. Deputy Aidan Farrelly asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence to provide a schedule of the amount expended by his Department, and bodies under his aegis, on external training, simulations and advice in advance relating to appearances as witnesses at Oireachtas committees, from 2021 to date in 2025; if the supplier of services will also be provided, with a brief outline of services provide…

224. Deputy Marie Sherlock asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence if there is consideration underway to reduce the hours of operation of military flight operations due to shortages of qualified air traffic controllers; if so, to set out the nature of the reduction, the impact these changes will have on emergency patient transfers from Casement Aerodrome, and separately the impact this will ha…

225. Deputy Maeve O'Connell asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence to report on the milestones that have been reached by the 11 actions within the RDF Regeneration and Development Plan that are directly linked to the Commission on the Defence Forces Work Packages. [31700/25]

226. Deputy Maeve O'Connell asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence the status of the progress of his Department in increasing the future Reserve Defence Forces establishment strength as per a Commission on the Defence Forces Report. [31701/25]

227. Deputy Maeve O'Connell asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence to report on the initiatives currently being implemented by his Department to enable the Reserve Defence Forces to deliver enhanced military capabilities when required to support the Permanent Defence Forces. [31702/25]

228. Deputy Maeve O'Connell asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence to report on the number of reserve training and support days completed in 2024; and the number of such days envisaged for 2025. [31703/25]

229. Deputy Maeve O'Connell asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence to report on the work undertaken by his Department in reviewing the framework governing the relationship between the Minister for Defence, the Defence Forces and the Department of Defence. [31704/25]

230. Deputy Maeve O'Connell asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence to report on the work of his Department in identifying key governance reforms required to modernise the Defence Forces to bring high-level structures in line with international comparators. [31705/25]

231. Deputy Maeve O'Connell asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence to report on any stakeholder engagement that has or will take place towards the goal of modernising the Defence Forces governance in line with international best practice. [31706/25]

232. Deputy Maeve O'Connell asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence the number of Ministerial management board meetings he has attended since his appointment. [31707/25]

233. Deputy Maeve O'Connell asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence to report on the number of meetings of the Defence Forces board; and the most senior female member of the Defence Forces has attended in 2025, and in 2024, as is provided for. [31708/25]

234. Deputy Maeve O'Connell asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence if he has met with the senior leadership forum within his Department since his appointment. [31709/25]

235. Deputy Maeve O'Connell asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence for Defence if any new EU Common Security and Defence related initiatives are under consideration within his Department following the EU White Paper on Defence. [31710/25]

236. Deputy Maeve O'Connell asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence to report on his Department’s priorities for Ireland’s term of the EU Presidency. [31776/25]