168. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Defence the number of active members of the Irish Defence Forces broken down per year each year since 2015, by rank, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [70252/25]
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
169. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Defence the number of civilian employees currently employed by the Irish Defence Forces; the number of staff per year each year since 2015, by grade, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [70253/25]
93. Deputy Tom Brabazon asked the Minister for Defence the current strength of all branches of the Defence Forces as of 28 November 2025 or the latest date available; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [68514/25]
94. Deputy Tom Brabazon asked the Minister for Defence the improvements made in salaries and allowances for members of the Defence Forces since 2020; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [68515/25]
50. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Defence if she is aware that 58% of appointments at the rank of commandant in the Army Reserve are vacant; if her attention has been drawn to the fact that the equivalent number of vacancies for the Naval Service Reserve is 50% and that there have been no promotions to this rank in over four years, despite qualified candidates having been interviewed; her views on the eff…
52. Deputy Paul Donnelly asked the Minister for Defence the number of vacancies by rank within Defence Forces School of Music; when each of those vacancies will be filled, in tabular form. [67635/25]
53. Deputy Paul Donnelly asked the Minister for Defence if a new cadetship recruitment campaign for the army will be launched early in the new year. [67636/25]
54. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Defence her views on whether it was necessary for Defence Forces personnel to draw weapons against protesters targeting planes in Shannon owned by a military which provides logistical support to a country that her Government considers guilty of genocide (details supplied). [67999/25]
55. Deputy Ryan O'Meara asked the Minister for Defence the existing direct entry, lateral entry and re-entry mechanisms for recruitment to the Permanent Defence Force and the Reserve Defence Force; the number of personnel recruited under these mechanisms in 2025; if she intends creating additional entry pathways; the timeline for delivery of each pathway; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [68025/25]
205. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Defence to outline plans to ensure that cadet pay is ahead of the minimum wage and that the Defence Forces remain an attractive career path. [66902/25]
207. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Defence the number of members of the Defence Forces that have availed of the opportunity to continue working after the increase in August 2024 in the mandatory retirement age from 60 to 62. [67036/25]
210. Deputy Conor D. McGuinness asked the Minister for Defence further to Parliamentary Question No. 179 of 17 June 2025, if she or her predecessor authorised the use of social media influencers by the Defence Forces for recruitment and communications; and her views on whether there may be conflicts of interest caused by social media accounts advertising careers in the Defence Forces while simultaneously sharing part…
212. Deputy Charles Ward asked the Minister for Defence if any military personnel or Department officials attended a recent conference in Israel organised by the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) on their intensive multifront campaign over the past two years, or any recent training conference or seminars organised by the IDF; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [67246/25]
179. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Defence if pay for reservists will be re-instated; the rationale for the withdrawal of payments that has taken place (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [65193/25]
180. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Defence further to Parliamentary Question No. 191 of 18 February 2025, for an update on any progress by military authorities in their consideration of the report and recommendations of the Defence Forces Colour Vision Working Group on colour vision requirements for entry to the Defence Forces; when she will publish this report; and when the recommendations will be …
96. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Defence if the Defence Forces are under contract with a company (details supplied); the length of the contract; when it commenced; and the amount paid to date for the contract. [64366/25]
97. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Defence if the Defence Forces have ever held a contract with a company (details supplied); when the contract terminated; and the amount spent on the contract. [64367/25]
232. Deputy Naoise Ó Muirí asked the Minister for Defence the countries with whom Ireland has a memorandum of understanding in respect of defence cooperations, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63112/25]
233. Deputy Naoise Ó Muirí asked the Minister for Defence his plans to renew the memorandum of understanding on defence with Finland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63113/25]
238. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Defence the additional costs incurred by the Irish Defence Forces for security provided at Shannon Airport due to US military use of that airport from 2010 to 2017; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [64014/25]
174. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence if he will submit a business case to the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation to allow former members of the Defence Forces (with less than 21 years’ service prior to the enactment of the single pension scheme, and with greater than 26 weeks break in service) who subsequently take a position …
175. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence the measures in place to support the physical and mental health outcomes of veterans of the Defence Forces. [62446/25]
176. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence if he will address the genuine concerns regarding RDF treatment issues raised in correspondence (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62534/25]
264. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence the budget allocation for Defence Forces Equitation School in the years of 2024, 2025 and 2026, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [61135/25]
266. Deputy Donna McGettigan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence the process that local community voluntary groups must meet in order to have Defence Forces School of Music play at a community event; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [61442/25]