Parliamentary questions

23. Deputy Pat Buckley asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence whether he has ruled out acquiring Israeli-built Spike anti-tank guided missiles for use on the recently purchased Airbus H145M helicopters. [26106/25]

255. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence the policy of the Defence Forces relative to granting transfers on compassionate grounds where a member has an immediate requirement to be stationed close to home for family reasons; the number of such applications being processed currently; the number of such applications made in each of the past five years; the number approv…

256. Deputy Sinéad Gibney asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence the policy of the Defence Forces regarding the recruitment of people with autism and ADHD to the permanent and reserve Defence Forces; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25173/25]

257. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence the ages of horsebox vehicles currently in use by Defence Forces equitation school; if funding is available in 2025 for the purchase of additional horsebox vehicles. [25356/25]

258. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence the amount the Defence Forces spent on replacement of musical instruments for the Defence Forces school of music in 2024 and to-date in 2025, in tabular form; the name of the company that was awarded the contract to supply musical instruments to the school. [25357/25]

259. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence if the case of a person (details supplied) can be reviewed and his preserved pension processed. [25594/25]

260. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence if the Defence Forces general service body armour (GSBA) that is currently in service throughout the Defence Forces, including in overseas missions, was first issued to members in 2006; if, given that these systems degrade overtime, and trials to replace the current system began in 2017, the current GSBA worn by troops overseas …

194. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence if he will outline the number of agencies or quangos established by his Department in each of the past ten years and the cost to the State of funding each one. [24929/25]

20. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence if his Department sources IT equipment from companies named on the official boycott, divestment and sanctions list; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24577/25]

341. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence if the Defence Forces are carrying out exercises in the St. Bridget’s Campus, Ballinasloe; if so, the reason residents were not notified as there was loud noises during the night; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23249/25]

342. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence the rationale for purchasing four H145M helicopters; whether any missiles have been bought for these helicopters; whether there is any plan to buy any missiles for these helicopters; and if so, which type of missiles and from which company. [23613/25]

343. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence to review correspondence (details supplied); if he will provide an update on the status of the scheme; if there are any plans to return the payment to its original status; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23708/25]

344. Deputy Pat Buckley asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence to provide an overview on the recent acquisition of Airbus H145M helicopters and the capabilities he expects them to provide to the Defence Forces. [23731/25]

345. Deputy Pat Buckley asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence his views on the extent of Israeli designed or produced military technology included in the recently purchased Airbus H145M helicopters, and if these helicopters have the capability to use the Israeli-made Spike anti-tank guided missile. [23732/25]

346. Deputy Pat Buckley asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence if his Department has examined the possibility of using Spike anti-tank guided missiles on the recently purchased Airbus H145M helicopters, and if he has plans to acquire these missiles. [23733/25]

347. Deputy Pat Buckley asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence if it is the policy of the State to purchase military equipment from other militarily neutral states; if this policy has been revised in recent years; and his views on the state's procedures and priorities in acquiring foreign military equipment. [23734/25]

348. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence if he will commit to a public plebiscite on the question of the removal of the triple lock; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23745/25]

349. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence to provide a comprehensive list of all non-governmental organisations operating within the State under the aegis of his Department, focusing particularly on those that may overlap in their missions and areas of operation (details supplied). [23810/25]

350. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence for each non-governmental organisation under the aegis of his Department, to provide a detailed breakdown of its core activities, geographical areas of operation, target demographics, and the specific services or programs they provide (details supplied). [23828/25]

351. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence to specify the total amount of funding allocated to each of the identified non-governmental organisations (NGOs) under his Department’s aegis over the past five years, broken down by State funding directly administered through central government agencies, departments, or any other public bodies; grants provided by local authoritie…

352. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence to provide a breakdown of the number of non-governmental organisations under his Department’s aegis that charge fees for their services, including membership fees, participation fees, or any other forms of charge to the public; to specify which of these organisations charge fees while also receiving public funding, and how this pr…

353. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence to identify any existing oversight mechanisms or audits that are conducted to assess the effectiveness of funding allocated to non-governmental organisations under the aegis of his Department (details supplied). [23883/25]

354. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence to state whether any review or audit has been conducted to evaluate the effectiveness, redundancy, and administrative costs of state funding for non-governmental organisations (NGOs) under the aegis of his Department; if such a review has not yet been conducted, to request a detailed timeline and plan for implementing a comprehens…

355. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence to provide a summary of any specific steps taken to streamline non-governmental organisations under the aegis of his Department, eliminate redundancies, and prevent the duplication of services where organisations may be competing for similar grants or operating in the same areas with little coordination (details supplied). [23919/…

356. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence to outline the total administrative costs associated with non-governmental organisations under the aegis of his Department, including the overhead costs related to compliance, reporting, and auditing requirements; and to compare these costs to the overall financial aid allocated to the organisations, identifying whether the admini…