44. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence the present enlistment in the Permanent Defence Force; the proposals to increase recruitment and improve retention levels in 2026; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60410/25]
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
45. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Tánaiste and 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 his target for recruitment each year under this Government. [60465/25]
51. Deputy Keira Keogh asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence the gender balance of the latest recruits to the Defence Forces cadet programmes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60422/25]
56. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence if the Government will commit to increasing pay for defence force cadets, who are currently paid below minimum wage; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60492/25]
60. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence the measures he is taking to improve retention levels in the Defence Forces; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60417/25]
61. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence his views on the issue of pension entitlements for personnel who joined the Defence Forces after 2013; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60508/25]
62. Deputy Sinéad Gibney asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence if his Department will take action to ensure Defence Forces cadets are in receipt of minimum wage during their training, and paid wages that are commensurate with privates of the same level of experience; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60398/25]
63. Deputy James O'Connor asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence the allocation he secured for Permanent Defence Force pay in budget 2026; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60482/25]
64. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence for an update on each of the three elements under the military radar programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60407/25]
65. Deputy James O'Connor asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence the changes for Defence Forces pay under budget 2026; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60483/25]
66. Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence when the Defence Forces regulation regarding a directive of military prosecutions will be amended following his announcement on 14 October 2025; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60383/25]
68. Deputy Catherine Ardagh asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence the discussions he has had with the Department of Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation in relation to pension entitlements for members of the permanent Defence Forces; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60430/25]
69. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence in view of his support for chaplains to the Defence Forces having representation, his plans to agree to amending the PDF’s conciliation and arbitration scheme to provide for such representation in this administrative scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60435/25]
70. Deputy Aisling Dempsey asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence to ensure that all Defence Forces personnel in full-time residential training receive subsistence where they cannot be rationed, including officers attending third level educational institutions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60381/25]
71. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence the number of members of the Defence Forces who have protection orders or barring orders against them; the protocol within the Defence Forces for dealing with an individual member of the force with a protection order or barring order issued to them; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60455/25]
72. Deputy Cathy Bennett asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence if he has considered altering height requirements with regard to enlistment eligibility for the Defence Forces. [60471/25]
73. Deputy Sinéad Gibney asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence if his Department has explored options and estimated resources required for Irish participation in ongoing UN peacekeeping missions such as UNDOF in advance of the wind-down of UNIFIL, to preserve Ireland’s unbroken record of participation in UN peacekeeping; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60396/25]
74. Deputy Edward Timmins asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence the steps being taken to increase our defence capabilities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60480/25]
75. Deputy Catherine Callaghan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence his plans to increase cadet pay above minimum wage, and to at least that of all other trainees in the Defence Forces; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [59617/25]
172. Deputy Tony McCormack asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence when he expects local bargaining 1% adjustments to be approved and to commence in the defence sector (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60512/25]
173. Deputy Tony McCormack asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence the way in which the Defence Forces are developing their unmanned aerial systems capability; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60513/25]
175. Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence the supports available to Defence Forces personnel who are being discharged on medical grounds, particularly in cases involving long-term illnesses; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56896/25]
65. Deputy Joe Neville asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence the amount of funding allocated to Defence Forces infrastructure in each of the past five years; the number of projects completed; the number underway; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60238/25]
67. Deputy John Paul O'Shea asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence the current number of vacancies within the Defence Forces; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60331/25]
68. Deputy John Paul O'Shea asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence his Departments plans to increase its headcount in 2026; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60332/25]