Parliamentary questions

EU Meetings

Denis Naughten

50. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence the number of formal and informal Council of the European Union meetings that have been held since 27 June 2020 under the remit of his Department; and the number of formal and informal meetings, respectively held virtually and the corresponding number held in person; if he or his predecessor attended each meeting, or a Minister of State or ambassador represented the Government; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25665/24]

Flexible Work Practices

Denis Naughten

51. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence if his Department and each body and agency under the remit of his Department has achieved the Government-mandated public sector remote working target of 20%; when this was achieved in each instance; the current percentage of staff working remotely; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25683/24]

Defence Forces

Brendan Howlin

100. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence further to Parliamentary Question No. 157 of 9 May 2023, if he will revisit the supports provided by his Department to family members of former Defence Forces personnel, including funeral costs for family members as an additional benefit, to aid recruitment and retention; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24628/24]

Defence Forces

Mairéad Farrell

101. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence if he is aware of any military event that took place recently in the University of Galway, wherein uniformed foreign soldiers were seen walking around the campus; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24629/24]

Departmental Data

Carol Nolan

102. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence to provide details of any anti-racism or unconscious bias training and presentations made available to staff in his Department during the period 2021 to date; the content of such training and presentations; the provider of any such training and presentations and the costs incurred for each event; if attendance at such training and presentations is mandatory or voluntary for staff; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24665/24]

Legislative Measures

Carol Nolan

103. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence if his Department will be prioritising the progression of any specific pieces of legislation prior to the Dáil summer recess; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24697/24]

Defence Forces

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor

104. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence the status of a person’s application (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24740/24]

Departmental Contracts

John Lahart

105. Deputy John Lahart asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence if as some media reports suggest, Ireland pays an Israeli government owned weapons company (details supplied) €295,000 each year to maintain drones bought from it, which the same company supplying aerial vehicles and drones being used to kill Palestinian people in Gaza; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24982/24]

Naval Service

Catherine Murphy

106. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence if Haulbowline naval base has the capability to dock a military naval ship of 210 metres in length; and if not, the funding that would be required in order to be able to securely dock a military naval ship of this size. [25086/24]

Departmental Contracts

Catherine Murphy

107. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence if he will provide a schedule of all contracts they have and/or had with a company in the past 25 years to date (details supplied); the agreed contract cost; the ultimate contract cost including extras, design changes, conciliation, claims etc; project name/title; and the name of the body responsible for the delivery of projects where responsibility has been devolved. [25470/24]

Naval Service

Alan Kelly

108. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence if any of the Naval Service vessels currently have helicopter landing capabilities. [25573/24]

Defence Forces

Alan Kelly

109. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence the recruitment budget allocated to the Defence Forces in the years of 2022, 2023 and 2024; the percentage of that budget that was actually spent in 2022 and 2023 in tabular form. [25574/24]

Defence Forces

Matt Carthy

142. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence further to his appearance before the Oireachtas Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Defence on 24 May 2024, if he has withdrawn his appeal to the arbitration board against the finding of the adjudicator regarding membership of RACO of the Director of Military Prosecutions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24492/24]

Tribunals of Inquiry

Matt Carthy

38. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence when engagement with a group (details supplied) can be expected from the tribunal of inquiry into certain matters relating to the complaints processes in the Defence Forces; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24168/24]

Tribunals of Inquiry

Matt Carthy

39. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence for Defence if he will report on the process involved in establishing the tribunal of inquiry into certain matters relating to the complaints processes in the Defence Forces; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24169/24]

Tribunals of Inquiry

Matt Carthy

40. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence if he has considered providing funding to survivors or groups representing them in order to better facilitate their own engagement with and participation in the tribunal of inquiry into certain matters relating to the complaints processes in the Defence Forces; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24170/24]

Tribunals of Inquiry

Réada Cronin

41. Deputy Réada Cronin asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence the reason the Women of Honour have not been contacted to-date by the tribunal of inquiry into certain matters relating to the complaints processes in the Defence Forces; the reason for the delay in signing the statutory instrument; if his Department is prepared to give funding to the group on a parity basis with other support organisations to the Defence Forces; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24210/24]

Official Engagements

Patrick Costello

127. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence if he will provide an update on defence-related engagements carried out by the Minister of State for European Affairs and Defence carried out since the start of 2024; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23951/24]

Departmental Data

Matt Carthy

128. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence the amount expended in relation to EU peacekeeping missions in the years 2008 and to date in 2024, by mission, by year, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24087/24]

Defence Forces

Matt Carthy

129. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence the current total number of Defence Forces personnel; the allocation under Budget 2024 in relation to sustaining that cohort; the targeted number of recruits in 2024 and related additional allocation; the cost of increasing the number of personnel to 9,500; the cost of further increasing the number of personnel to 11,500, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24061/24]