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]
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.
-
80
-
76
-
41
-
41
-
39
-
34
-
30
-
24
Asked of
Debated under the same heading
Debates whose official heading is exactly these words.
The questions
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]
237. Deputy Maeve O'Connell asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence for an update on the progress of his Department in creating the next White Paper Update, as set out in the White Paper on Defence, 2015. [31778/25]
239. Deputy Maeve O'Connell asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence if he has received the most recent quarterly report regarding the delivery of actions of the Strategic Framework–Transformation of the Defence Forces; and if the secretary general and the chief of staff have ever failed to provide this report since the Strategy’s publication in September 2023. [31780/25]
240. Deputy Maeve O'Connell asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence to report on the implementation of the Working Time Directive across the Defence Forces. [31781/25]
241. Deputy Maeve O'Connell asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence to report on the progression of projects to enhance the physical working environment and equipment of the Defence Forces. [31782/25]
242. Deputy Maeve O'Connell asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence to report on the implementation of a new independent external complaints service for the Defence Forces. [31783/25]
243. Deputy Maeve O'Connell asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence to report on the development of a cultural change programme for the Defence Forces. [31784/25]
39. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence the reason the arrangements between the Defence Forces and the Maltese Defence Forces whereby Maltese cadets receive training at the Curragh Camp has ceased; when this occurred; if he has plans to recommence the bilateral arrangements; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31055/25]
40. Deputy Sinéad Gibney asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence for a list of all missions since 2006 that Ireland participated in which were not established by the UN but received a UN Mandate, by year, number of troops deployed, and purpose of mission, in tabular form. [31105/25]
41. Deputy Sinéad Gibney asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence for a list of all missions, including those which were authorised under section 3 of the Defence Amendment Act 2006, since 2006 that Ireland participated in which did not have a UN mandate, by year, number of troops deployed, and purpose of the mission, in tabular form. [31106/25]
42. Deputy Sinéad Gibney asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence the up-to-date figures relating to Defence Forces recruitment of personnel broken down by service, rank and reserve or non-reserve status, by month from the period 2021 to date, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31107/25]
43. Deputy Sinéad Gibney asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence the up-to-date figures relating to Defence Forces personnel who have left the Defence Forces broken down by service, rank and reserve or non-reserve status, by month from the period 2021 to date, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31108/25]
273. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence if he will provide an update on the Irish Defence Force's army force design process; when it will be completed; when will the results be published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29438/25]
274. Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence if he will confirm that qualified members of the Army, Air Corps and Naval Service can enter promotion competitions for chief of staff and both deputy chief of staff positions. [29447/25]
275. Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence if he will confirm that qualified members of the Army, Air Corps and Naval Service were previously able to serve as assistant chief of staff but that this is no longer the case. [29448/25]
276. Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence when Defence Forces regulations were amended prohibiting suitably qualified members of the Air Corps and Naval Service from filling the role of assistant chief of staff; the rationale for this decision; and if, in view of the emphasis of the Commission on the Defence Forces on the need for truly joint high-level leadership and the recommendation tha…
278. Deputy Seán Fleming asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence for an update on his plans to replace the Mowag Piranha and RG32M; the number of armoured vehicles the Defence Forces require following the recommendation of the Defence Forces Commission; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29593/25]
281. Deputy Donna McGettigan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence the advertisement budget allocated to the permanent Defence Forces in 2023, 2024 and to date in 2025, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30289/25]
282. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence the amount spent by the Defence Forces on purchasing specialist military equipment from German based companies in 2023, 2024 and to-date in 2025, in tabular form. [30393/25]