228. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Defence the way in which the shortfall in critical staffing levels in the Defence Forces poses a national security risk; the steps being taken to resolve this; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [72054/25]
Topics / Defence Forces
A subject heading for parliamentary questionsDefence Forces
1,115 questions from 105 TDs, between 22 January 2025 and 22 October 2026.
1,115
questions
1,048 written, 67 oral
105
TDs have asked
11
parties and groups
Independents counted together
6
departments asked
Questions per month
The record holds no questions for August, when the Dáil does not sit.
Jan 2025Oct 2026
Show as a table
| Month | Questions |
|---|---|
| January 2025 | 9 |
| February 2025 | 58 |
| March 2025 | 27 |
| April 2025 | 23 |
| May 2025 | 47 |
| June 2025 | 83 |
| July 2025 | 55 |
| August 2025 | 0 |
| September 2025 | 91 |
| October 2025 | 36 |
| November 2025 | 77 |
| December 2025 | 85 |
| January 2026 | 33 |
| February 2026 | 120 |
| March 2026 | 34 |
| April 2026 | 30 |
| May 2026 | 108 |
| June 2026 | 74 |
| July 2026 | 87 |
| August 2026 | 0 |
| September 2026 | 24 |
| October 2026 | 14 |
Who asks, by party
The party each TD belonged to on the day, in alphabetical order. Parties differ a lot in size, and members of the Government answer questions rather than ask them, so this shows who raised it, not how much a party cares about it.
The TDs who asked most
Members of the Government answer questions rather than ask them. Each question counts once.
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80
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76
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41
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41
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39
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34
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30
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24
Asked of
Debated under the same heading
Debates whose official heading is exactly these words.
The questions
229. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Defence the current status of the procurement process for the military primary radar system; if rollout of the system will commence in 2026 and full operational status achieved by 2028; if there has been any change in the total cost of approximately €300 million for the programme; if the current training courses for such operations in the Defence Forces are com…
230. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Defence the establishment figure of the Defence Forces; the number of personnel required to meet Level of Ambition 2; the current number of personnel; and her target for recruitment each year under this Government. [72056/25]
231. Deputy Catherine Callaghan asked the Minister for Defence the position regarding the expedited purchasing of counter unmanned aerial system equipment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [71315/25]
232. Deputy Catherine Callaghan asked the Minister for Defence the way in which her Department publishes calls for companies to express an interest in supplying military equipment to the State; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [71316/25]
235. Deputy Donna McGettigan asked the Minister for Defence the number of musical shops that applied for the contract to supply the Defence Forces School of Music with musician instruments but were unsuccessful when the contract was last out to tender; when will this contract be next put out to tender; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [71406/25]
236. Deputy Shónagh Ní Raghallaigh asked the Minister for Defence the number of females that applied to join the Defence Forces 2025 in cadetship recruitment campaigns for both Army and Naval service, in tabular form. [71421/25]
237. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Defence the average wait time for security clearance to be granted to reservists in the Defence Forces. [71474/25]
238. Deputy Shane Moynihan asked the Minister for Defence the total number of military personnel in Óglaigh na hÉireann, broken down by Army, Air Corps and Naval Service; the number at each rank (officer and enlisted); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [71545/25]
243. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Defence the plans that are in place to keep members of the Defence Forces operationally ready once peacekeepers are withdrawn from Lebanon; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [72287/25]
246. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Defence the nature of refurbishment works that were carried out at Curragh Camp in 2025; if each of those capital work projects are completed or still ongoing at present; the new capital works projects that are scheduled to commence at Curragh Camp during the first half of 2026, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [72394/25]
247. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Defence if she will report on capital funding to Defence Forces Projects in the National Development Plan for the period 2026 to 2030; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [72395/25]
249. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Defence the key measures taken to increase recruitment to the Defence Forces during 2025; her priorities for 2026; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [72500/25]
250. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Defence the key measures taken to increase retention levels in the Defence Forces during 2025; her priorities for 2026; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [72501/25]
251. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Defence the key measures taken to support and expand the Reserve Defence Forces during 2025; her priorities for 2026; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [72502/25]
297. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Defence the position regarding any deployment of Irish personnel (details supplied); the number of personnel, their roles, the duration of their deployment, and the locations of the operations; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [70899/25]
298. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Defence if any member of the Defence Forces or other State staff have received or are scheduled to receive training at a location (details supplied); the details of the number of personnel, type of training, and dates training occurred or is planned; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [70901/25]
299. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Defence the capacity the Defence Forces have to deal with drone incursions such as the one reported during the visit of President Zelenskyy; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [70915/25]
300. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Defence the actions she is taking to locate the drones that were reportedly active during the visit of President Zelenskyy (details supplied); if she is confident that they will be found; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [70916/25]
301. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Defence the progress since 2022 to provide the Defence Forces with a primary radar system capable of detecting and tracking rogue and non-conforming aircraft within airspace controlled by the State; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [71254/25]
302. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Defence the efforts made since 2022 to provide the Defence Forces with aircraft capable of intercepting and policing rogue or non-conforming aircraft within Irish controlled airspace; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [71255/25]
303. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Defence if her Department will provide details of the efforts made since 2022 to increase the technical and radar operator/controller manpower levels within the Irish Defence Forces; and the success which have achieved; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [71256/25]
304. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Defence if her Department will identify strategies used since 2022 to recruit persons into the Defence Forces in Ireland; the success which has been achieved; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [71257/25]
305. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Defence if her Department will identify the strategies used since 2022 to recruit persons into the Reserve Defence Forces; the success which has been achieved; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [71258/25]
306. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Defence if her Department will provide details of the efforts made since 2022 to encourage former members of the Defence Forces and, former Defence Forces technicians and other specialists to transfer to the Reserve Defence Forces or to return to uniform in the Reserve; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [71259/25]