Vol. 1066 No. 6
157. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence the steps being taken to strengthen our cyberdefence capabilities in light of increasing global threats to digital infrastructure; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18129/25]
165. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence the progress his Department has made regarding the establishment of a joint cybersecurity command and other actions related to cybersecurity contained in the Report of the Commission on the Defence Forces. [18071/25]
Inniu ba mhaith liom caint faoi rud éigin atá i mbéal an phobail faoi láthair. What steps are being taken to strengthen Irish cyberdefence capabilities, especially in the environment we are in at present? Cyberattacks are no longer hypothetical. They are a real and growing threat to our economy, our national security and our democracy. The Tánaiste has spoken about this before but I want to know what steps have been taken since the formation of the Government to protect the Irish people and to protect our economy and our national security.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 157 and 165 together.
I can advise the Deputies that the Defence Forces have established a new joint cyberdefence command. This new command will be able to conduct full spectrum operations to robustly defend against cyberthreats and support Defence Forces operations at home and overseas, and enhance national cyberdefence resilience and contingent capabilities. Deputy Heneghan is right that this is a real and growing issue. Following the establishment of this unit, the Defence Forces cyberdefence strategy for 2024 to 2027 was published last year. This strategy sets out a road map to ensure our Defence Forces achieve operational capability in this new domain.
I am pleased to say the assignment of 19 specialist posts in the Defence Forces has been approved to kick-start the operation of this unit, which is headed up by an officer of general rank. In addition to this, the Department is engaging with the Public Appointments Service to recruit ten civilian cyber specialists who will be embedded in this new cyber unit, and we want to see these posts filled as soon as possible. They have been sanctioned and we want to get them started. To this end, the Public Appointment Service has launched a campaign to recruit for the role of principal officer, cyber lead. The closing date for applications for this post was 10 April. Additionally, competitions will be launched imminently to fill two additional roles at the level of engineer grade 1. These roles will be focused on cyberthreat intelligence and cyber resilience. I am pleased to say we are significantly expanding the number of people working in this area.
I should also mention that officials from my Department and the Defence Forces work closely with the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications and the National Cyber Security Centre. That Department is the Department with lead Government responsibility for cybersecurity in Ireland. We work collaboratively to support measures to address cyber challenges. I am satisfied that from a defence perspective we are on a much-needed positive trajectory to ensure the new cyber command unit is well positioned to meet the ambitions we have set out in the cyber strategy.
Gabhaim buíochas leis an Tánaiste. Tá sé iontach le cloisteáil go bhfuil an obair sin á déanamh aige. It is great to see the Tánaiste is working collaboratively with the Defence Forces to establish this new unit but we need to see our Defence Forces equipped, trained and empowered to meet these real threats. I ask the Department to meet the universities, one of which, DCU, I just left. They are developing new courses but to develop the talent in our population to work in these new Defence Forces offices we need to introduce new courses which are constantly evolving. As happened when the HSE was hacked, I ask the Minister to look into all Departments across the board to make sure they are running with up-to-date systems that are adequate and working. It is about building long-term resilience at every level of the State. I thank the Tánaiste. I would like to see this being done quickly and effectively, given the emerging threats that are ever-growing in this climate.
This is clearly an ever evolving and growing area that will be of crucial importance to the Defence Forces and our security in the coming time. The Tánaiste instanced the new committee and it is very important that it is given adequate briefings on these issues as they arise and develop. The Tánaiste mentioned the cybersecurity command had been established. The most recent report I saw in The Irish Times was that it was to be established. Perhaps there is more up-to-date information than that. I understood the Department and the Defence Forces had advertised for a cybersecurity lead. Perhaps the Tánaiste can inform me on whether the person has been appointed. I tabled my question to seek an update on the establishment and the Tánaiste is saying it has been established. Perhaps he will give me a timeline on when it was established and whether the lead person has been appointed and when they took office.
I am checking the tenses in my answer, and my answer tells me the Defence Forces have established a new joint cyberdefence command. The truth is in what I said. We have seen the assignment of 19 Defence Forces specialist posts to kick-start the unit and it is headed up by someone of general rank. Deputy Ó Laoghaire is also correct that we are filling the principal officer role for cyber lead, which will supplement the ten civilian cyber specialists. The closing date for that post was 10 April. This post has not yet been filled. Additionally, a competition is about to be launched for two additional roles at the level of engineer grade 1. I will write to the Deputy specifically on when I intend to have those people in place.
I will come back to the point Deputy Heneghan made on skills. He is right on this. I am a former Minister for higher education. We have to work with our universities. We have great universities. It is about making sure our universities have a clear understanding of the pipeline of skills our country needs and that we have a clear understanding of what the universities are doing. There generally is good collaboration but I might look specifically at having Defence Forces third level engagement with the Minister, Deputy Lawless, and the relevant universities on this.
Deputy Heneghan asked more broadly, beyond the Defence Forces, how we make sure all Departments and agencies are secure. I remember the HSE hack and the hack of a number of universities, including MTU. The National Cyber Security Centre is responsible for advising and informing Government IT critical national infrastructure providers overall. It has the overarching role and it sits in the Department of the environment. It is headed by Richard Browne and we all feed into it through relevant Departments.
I welcome the fact the Tánaiste will engage with the universities. As I have seen growing up and going through the education system, mol an óige agus tiocfaidh sí. If we do not invest in education and universities and give them the option, they will go. As the Tánaiste mentioned, cyberdefence depends on highly skilled personnel. I welcome the fact the Tánaiste has mentioned this. I have many friends in the Defence Forces and from speaking to them I know they would like to go down this route. An Garda Síochána also plays a key role in this. It is not only international risks as we also face internal risks from crime gangs learning how to send fake texts and emails. A great deal of investment needs to go into this to protect our vulnerable, including the elderly who fall victim to these hacks. I welcome that the Tánaiste has already mentioned this. I would like to see it being done as quickly as possible.
This comes back to my earlier question a little bit. We will continue to have a significant challenge in recruiting and retaining key staff for an area such as this unless something significant changes. If we get things right, the Defence Forces can offer a very rewarding and interesting career for people who have the skills and capabilities in this area but I do not think we are in the right position at present. I did not take a note of the number of staff the Tánaiste mentioned but we are speaking about a number of staff being recruited or seconded for the cybersecurity command. The long-term ambition is 100 additional staff under level of ambition two and up to 300 or another 200 additional staff under level of ambition three. Where are we at with regard to specialist staff?
I would also make the point, not strongly but as something that needs to be considered, that I would be somewhat of the view that we need to consider carefully the ecosystem around cybersecurity. We need to be careful about having too many cooks in all the different agencies that could potentially have a role. I am not saying they do not all have a role but that needs some consideration and thought over the next while.
The Deputy is absolutely correct. One of the issues the Government is giving consider to is that ecosystem. The Deputy will be aware that we have established for the first time a Cabinet committee on national security, chaired by the Taoiseach, in which I and the Minister for Justice participate. We are developing a national security strategy.
I agree cyber affects us. Deputy Heneghan asked me to look into all Departments and every agency, but where the buck stops and where there are clear lines of responsibility is important. We are clear in terms of the lead function being the National Cyber Security Centre but Government will give consideration to that overall national security architecture.
Coming back to the Deputy's point about the new Oireachtas Committee on Defence and National Security, which the Deputy's party colleague will chair, it will provide an important opportunity to try to make sure we can have, within the respective parameters of the importance of sensitive information, a good flow of information and briefings. I am willing and eager to co-operate with that new committee. We do not discuss national security issues and threats and cybersecurity nearly enough in the Oireachtas and I welcome the creation of the new committee.
The Deputy's numbers are correct. So far, we have 19 from the Defence Forces plus ten civilians. That brings us to 29 when fully populated, which is not yet. Obviously, that is to start the unit. We will obviously be seeking to grow that in the time ahead.
158. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence his plans to radically restructure Defence Forces recruitment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17594/25]
I understand that at the end of February there were in excess of 7,500 personnel enlisted in the Permanent Defence Forces. This is just over 4,000 short of the ambition outlined in the programme for Government. We need to increase enlistment by 50%, which is a substantial target to achieve. Would the Tánaiste have any indication at this stage when he would hope to at least get the enlistment above the 8,000 figure because it is important that we get back to a critical enlistment across all aspects of the Permanent Defence Forces?
I thank Deputy Smith for the question. The Deputy is correct. Recruitment and retention have to be a key priority for Government because so much else of what we want to do, in terms of the national security space, the capability of the Defence Forces and the infrastructure we want to purchase and secure, relies on having men and women to operate and operationalise much of that.
Figures provided for 2024 give us some cause for hope in terms of a stabilisation in numbers. It was the first year in quite a number of years where we saw modest growth but we certainly saw a stabilisation in the number of people in the Defence Forces. There were 708 personnel inducted into the Defence Forces in 2024 and this is the highest number in over five years.
The current strength of the Permanent Defence Forces, as at 9 April 2025, the latest date for which this figure is available, stood at 7,545 personnel. The Defence Forces have further advised that they are targeting 800 inductions at a minimum for this year.
The Deputy's question is a fair one. I suppose being able to predict the number is not an exact science because it depends on retirements, etc., as well. If we had 708 inducted last year and if we could get to 800 inductions this year, there would be a real clear trajectory of growth but it would also give us a great sense of confidence that the Defence Forces had the ability to ramp up their numbers in terms of inductions.
We need to step up the scale of ambition even further in terms of making greater progress and I have had good engagement and conversations with the Chief of Staff of the Defence Forces and made him clear of Government's ambitions in that regard.
Recruitment to the Defence Forces and the positive trajectory has not happened by accident. It has happened because we have taken a number of decisions. We established a joint induction training centre in Gormanston, and the military authorities have advised that when fully operational, this will enable induction training to be provided to 900 recruits per annum. Recently, the largest recruit class of 72 recruits was welcomed into the facility.
In February 2025, my Department signed a contract for the construction of a new modern gymnasium, with multipurpose hall, as well as a purpose-built obstacle course at the Gormanston camp. This contract is scheduled to take 15 months to complete.
There has been significant progress on pay, which is also important. We need to make sure we get the message out that recruits on completion of training now start at €41,465 inclusive of military service allowance in year 1, which represents an increase of 49% over the past six years.
It is good to know there is stabilisation. Hopefully, stabilisation and an increase in enlistment would give more momentum to recruitment and obviously to the important retention aspect as well.
The programme for Government has a welcome commitment to build on improvements in the recruitment process, including a nationwide programme for transition year and third level students and better representation of women at all levels of the Defence Forces. Are there particular measures being implemented this year to implement those commitments?
Also, there is a commitment to examine incentives and structural changes to make a military career accessible to a wider range of candidates and to encourage existing personnel to extend their military careers. Far too often, I have seen very young people leave the Defence Forces with the ludicrous situation a few years ago where some people had to leave after 20 years' service. There were young women and men in their early forties who were forced to retire. It made no sense whatsoever. Most of them have gone on to other careers. I made representations on behalf of many of them but they could not be kept on because of the contract they went in under. I sincerely hope that no organ of the State will ever introduce such a type of recruitment and terms of employment in the future.
I thank Deputy Smith. I may have a look at that. The point the Deputy makes is a fair one. We are seeing an increase, thankfully, in the number of people joining the Defence Forces. We want to see a greater increase in diversity within the Defence Forces, and most particularly in terms of female participation.
I am pleased to say that already a number of initiatives have been implemented to increase the level of female participation in the Permanent Defence Forces. This includes the establishment by the Defence Forces of a female-specific recruitment team which co-ordinates attendance of tri-service female-specific recruiting teams at national, regional and local events, attendance by male and female representatives at all recruitment events, and a gender perspective incorporated in all advertising. The appointment of a gender adviser at senior military rank in 2024 was an important development. There are fitness-test requirements tailored for females. The recruitment office is also actively reaching out to female applicants in the recruitment pipeline in order to support them throughout the application process should they need any further support or advice because we often see here, and in the Garda as well, a high number of people who apply but that does not always result in the same number of people coming in. There is a particular focus where we see an application from a female in terms of reaching out and saying, "You want to be in the Defence Forces. How can we work with you?"
I am pleased to say we also now have a Defence Forces women's network established with the aim of increasing the participation of female personnel at all levels of the organisation.
I thank the Tánaiste for his further response. I genuinely believe that if we had a stronger Reserve Defence Forces, it would be a great conduit for enlistment in the Permanent Defence Forces. I represented two Border constituencies during many bad years on this island. I saw the importance of the Reserve Defence Forces along the Border working in the communities that I have the privilege of representing and living in.
Over the years the Reserve Defence Forces recruited many young people who may have been vulnerable to other unsavoury groups. Many of those young people went on to have star careers in the Permanent Defence Forces. We should have a strengthened Reserve Defence Forces. It can be an extra welcome ingredient in getting more people enlisted in the Permanent Defence Forces.
The Tánaiste will have the opportunity to talk to some of the people who would have served in the Border areas during the bad days. Unfortunately, that went on for many decades. I knew many Army personnel at all levels who I lived among and who I came across in my daily activities because their presence was needed in our communities. They will give the Tánaiste a clear and positive message about the importance of the Reserve Defence Forces and what they could do in the future, not going back to the work that they did in the past but as a recruitment process to strengthen the Permanent Defence Forces as well as carrying out their own important work.
I fully agree with the Deputy. When we talk about the Defence Forces, we need to talk about the total number of men and women who are available to come to the aid of the State, if and when that is required. Of course, an important component of that is the Permanent Defence Forces but it is also important that there is inter-locking between that and the Reserve Defence Forces' men and women who can be called up and can assist in ways as the need arises.
I have had good meetings in recent weeks with the representative body in relation to the Reserve. I have had good conversations about how we can make sure we do more in terms of those constant connectivities and links between the Permanent Defence Forces and the Reserve.
I am also very eager for advertising campaigns to be run and recruitment information to be disseminated about the Reserve Defence Forces. I would very much welcome an opportunity to meet with people who served in the Border region along with the Deputy to discuss that further.
159. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence further to Parliamentary Question No. 117 of 5 February 2025, if the minutes of all meetings with an organisation (details supplied) will now be provided; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18047/25]
My question is very specific and relates to a specific organisation. It is about a specific series of meetings the Department of Defence has had with the Irish Defence and Security Association. This is my third time asking for the minutes of these meetings. On the last occasion, whoever was in the Tánaiste's place told us it was his intention to publish these minutes. I have two notes here. To say they are opaque would be extremely generous. Will the Tánaiste answer my question?
Deputy Connolly is referring to meetings between officials from the Department of Defence and the Irish Defence and Security Association. As she is aware, the IDSA was established in 2021. Its mission is:
to ensure Ireland develops appropriate, leading edge and trusted defence and security capabilities in the land, sea, air, space and cyber domains, in order to protect our society, create jobs, drive research and enhance Ireland’s economic growth
National defence industry associations are the norm in most EU member states. They provide support to industry operating in defence markets in a number of ways. They create networks, disseminate information and assist contractors to find suitable sub-contractors. They are important for our small and medium-sized enterprises, particularly as I have been very clear about our ambition to increase our capabilities. I want Irish companies to be able to benefit from that.
In that context, the IDSA plays a role in enhancing awareness between Irish industry and my Department through periodic engagement. Departmental engagement with the IDSA is primarily around identifying opportunities to support Irish enterprise and research bodies in accessing EU funding streams and providing support and opportunities to companies, especially SMEs, to develop technologies to keep our Defence Forces safe whether they are on missions and operations overseas or undertaking a range of duties at home and abroad.
The minutes requested under Parliamentary Question No. 117 of 5 February 2025 refer to meetings the Department held with the IDSA. Minutes are available for meetings since October 2024, when scheduled meeting arrangements were put in place. The minutes of two meetings, which took place in October 2024 and December 2024, have now been published on the website of the Department of Defence. Officials from my Department held a subsequent meeting with the IDSA on 10 April and the minutes of that meeting will be published on the Department's website shortly. I have directed the Department of Defence to publish the minutes of all meetings held with the Irish Defence and Security Association on its website.
I did not see those minutes. Perhaps we did not look properly. I do not know. I welcome that they are there. I will take back the word "minutes" because these are not minutes. What I have are two notes. To describe them as "minutes" is utterly wrong. In the notes of one meeting that was held in Newbridge, we see that a person took the notes in October 2024. We have no idea of the agenda or of the outcome other than that "It was agreed that ... and some of his team" and so on. It is vague and opaque and we have no idea of the purpose of the meeting. We also have a note dating from 12 December. Again, there is no agenda laid out. This one only tells us where the meeting was held when we go down into the text. They are very opaque as notes of meetings. It is like somebody wrote them up because the question was asked.
Let us look at this organisation. It was set up in 2021. Ben Tonra is a member. He is on record declaring that he had been volunteering to set up this organisation for some time. This is a man who has serious views on neutrality being selfish. He is part of this organisation that lobbies for the international arms industry. That is how I see it. The Tánaiste can correct me if I am wrong. I am over time.
I hope the Deputy will let me take a look at the minutes and let my office provide her with clarity as to where they are. I hope she will give me feedback on that. My note tells me that, in summary, the minutes of the meeting on 2 October largely refer to preparations for the Department's participation in an IDSA event held in November and that the minutes of the meeting on 12 December refer to enhancing communication between the Department and the association and scheduling future periodic meetings. There is also reference to a brief discussion on the European defence technology industrial base, EDTIB. I am told the minutes were published on the Department of Defence website on Monday, 7 April 2025.
We may have different perspectives on this. I believe transparency is important but that it is okay to talk to industry representative bodies. I have been very clear that we are going to be spending a lot more money on national security and defence. So are most European countries. We are doing it in the context of being militarily neutral. Irish companies need to be enabled and to have the information to benefit from that investment.
The arms industry is supplying arms for genocide to be carried out in Palestine. The Tánaiste knows that. He has spoken about it. This group represents the arms industry, it lobbies for the arms industry and it has an open door to the Department. I know of a series of meetings. Is the Tánaiste confirming that the minutes, or whatever we are going to call them, of all 11 meetings that have been held are available? He should be able to confirm that. He should be able to tell me the nature of those meetings, where they were held, how long they lasted, who attended and so on. None of that is apparent. It is completely opaque. If the Tánaiste wants transparency, the least he can do is to give us an accurate record of the meetings and to tell us their purpose, who called them, their outcomes and so on. This is the arms industry. It has no moral conscience and exists for profit. Its weapons are being used to murder people and to commit genocide. As a neutral sovereign State, if our Department of Defence is meeting a lobbying group, at the very least it should be open, transparent and accountable about it. When the people who are involved are on TV shows or the radio, they should make declarations as to their background and interests.
I am not sure whether the Deputy would use that sort of language outside the House. It is quite an extraordinary thing to say about an association established with the mission "to ensure Ireland develops appropriate, leading edge and trusted defence and security capabilities in the land, sea, air, space and cyber domains". The Deputy has said the most extraordinary things about the association. I have never met with the association in my life and do not speak for it but it is entirely appropriate that the State interact with people who represent industry because-----
Does that include the arms industry?
The Deputy attaches to everything-----
It is not everything.
-----that has to do with national security the arms industry. We are going to need to procure radar, sonar and uniforms for the men and women of the Defence Forces. The Deputy may disagree but the Government is clear that we are going to level of ambition 2 as set out in the Commission on the Defence Forces report. We then want to go to level of ambition 3. That is going to require spending money and Irish companies should be in a position to benefit. That is all it is about. We do not publish the minutes of every meeting that every Government official has with every agency on a Government website but, in this case, I am happy to do so because I believe the Deputy is right. The minutes were published on the website on 7 April. As I have said very clearly, those minutes refer to meetings that took place since October 2024. I have been very clear that I want meetings to be scheduled and structured and that minutes should be published after each of them.
160. Deputy Ryan O'Meara asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence when the professional instructor payment will be paid to commissioned officer instructors in the Defence Forces, as committed to by the Government; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17824/25]
I ask this question on behalf of Deputy O'Meara. As the Tánaiste will know, Uachtarán na hÉireann today paid tribute to members of the Civil Defence. Ireland's Civil Defence has been in existence for 75 years. I am sure we all compliment them on the great work they do in our local communities.
I welcome the Tánaiste's announcement during the week regarding instructor allowances for officers in the Defence Forces. The announcement of instructor payments for officer members who are heavily relied on to plan, supervise and deliver crucial training along with their non-commissioned instructor colleagues is a vital measure in recruitment and retention, which we spoke about earlier. Will the Tánaiste let us know when this particular measure will be implemented?
I join with Deputy Smith and Uachtarán na hÉireann in paying tribute to our Civil Defence volunteers. It is an incredible organisation. While lots of things did not go to plan during Storm Éowyn, I was briefly in Monaghan in the Deputy's constituency while on the way back from somewhere else and met some of the Civil Defence volunteers and the work they did was incredible. I know that was replicated right across the country. I was in Roscommon opening the new state-of-the-art Civil Defence headquarters only a couple of weeks ago. Deputy Smith is right to pay tribute to the Civil Defence, particularly in the year of its 75th anniversary. All of us on all sides of the House thank the volunteers for what they do.
The Deputy will have seen my recent announcement confirming the introduction of a payment to officer instructors in the Defence Forces. Over recent months, my Department has engaged with the Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform, with a view to recognising the upskilling of officer instructors through the introduction of a professional instructor payment. I thank the Minister, Deputy Chambers, for working with me on this. The security of the State and its citizens must be a key priority for any government. It is our most solemn obligation. In that context, this Government has committed to strengthening our Defence Forces. Of course, to strengthen the Defence Forces, we rely heavily on the expertise and experience of instructors, who deliver high-quality training programmes to new recruits.
These programmes act as a key driver to transform culture and to modernise the Defence Forces to ensure that the State has a professional Defence Forces capable of undertaking roles assigned by Government.
In order to achieve the necessary scale of change, the Commission on the Defence Forces report highlighted core areas that needed to be addressed, including the transformational change to modernise the organisation's culture through re-engaging in a different way with its core values, renewing its contract with its people, and with modern work practices. A higher level of education of specialism is, therefore, now required for officer ranks as well. Professional instructors will play a critical role in ensuring the training is carried out in relation to that culture. This is an important incentivising measure. The new measure will apply to nearly 100 officer rank instructors who must possess advanced education specialist expertise and substantial experience. It will be restricted to those officers serving as instructors in the Defence Forces training roles who have completed the required instructor courses.
I thank the Tánaiste for his reply. I will ask just one further supplementary question, given that other Members are waiting to ask questions also. The Tánaiste will be aware of another issue of interest to Defence Forces' organisations, which is the finding of the defence sector arbitration board on 18 November. It upheld a ruling that the terms and conditions the director of military prosecutions should be amended to remove the prohibition on that officeholder holding membership of a representative association. I believe this issue may have not yet come to the Tánaiste's attention. I do not believe that person should be barred from holding membership of a representative organisation if he or she so wishes.
I thank Deputy Smith for bringing that matter to my attention. I will, in consultation with my officials, reflect on that judgment, and no doubt in my engagement with representative bodies. I look forward to visiting a number of their conferences and we will have an opportunity to further discuss that. I am happy to come back to the Deputy once I have considered the issue.
161. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence when the Naval Service’s two new inshore patrol vessels, LÉ Aoibhinn and LÉ Gobnait, will enter service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17726/25]
168. Deputy Noel McCarthy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence to outline the Naval Service’s current fleet complement; the number of ships that are fully crewed and at sea; his Department’s plans for the further upgrading of the fleet; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18005/25]
184. Deputy Séamus McGrath asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence the number of naval vessels in the ownership of the Naval Service; and the number currently in active operation-deployment. [17827/25]
188. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence the number of Naval Service ships in day-to-day use; the number docked due to understaffing; and the current location of these ships. [17270/25]
Last October the then Tánaiste and Minister for Defence, Deputy Micheál Martin, approved the berthing of the newly refurbished and purchased inshore patrol vessels, the LÉ Aoibhinn and the LÉ Gobnait, at Dún Laoghaire Harbour. Will the Tánaiste update the House on the timeline for these vessels being fully commissioned and fully operational, and the current status on discussions between his Department and Dún Laoghaire Rathdown County Council regarding the berthing and their long-term presence in the harbour?
I propose to take Questions Nos. 161, 168, 184 and 188 together.
The Naval Service currently has a fleet of eight commissioned vessels. These eight vessels consist of two P50 class large patrol vessels, four P60 class offshore patrol vessels, and two P70 inshore patrol vessels. The military authorities have advised that three of the P60 class offshore patrol vessels are currently available for operations and conduct patrols on a rotation basis. The fourth P60 vessel is currently undergoing a planned maintenance period. The LÉ Aoibhinn is fully operational and is regularly deployed on maritime defence and security operations within Irish territorial waters and the Irish exclusive economic zone, primarily along the east coast.
Taken together, this entails that at the moment there are two vessels actively operational at sea. The two P50 class vessels, the LÉ Róisín and the and LÉ Niamh are currently in operational reserve on the recommendation of the Naval Service.
Deputies will be aware of the challenges facing the Naval Service in recent years, namely around recruitment and retention. To that end, I am pleased to say that we have recently seen a positive uptake in the numbers of new recruits joining the Naval Service. This upturn, in my view, is attributable to a range of measures, including the doubling of the patrol duty allowance, which took effect in January 2024. The effect has been that no patrol days have been cancelled or lost during 2024 or to date in 2025. A total of 97 personnel were inducted into the Naval Service in 2024 consisting of 80 general service recruits, 13 cadets, two re-enlisted personnel, one direct entry electrical artificer, and one direct entry chef. To date in 2025, a further 37 personnel have been inducted into training in the Naval Service and the most recent strength figure available as of 9 April is 745 wholetime equivalent personnel, of an agreed establishment strength of 1,094.
In addition, we have invested heavily in improving the building infrastructure at Haulbowline, particularly focusing on improving the accommodation provided to serving personnel when on duty. To date, €13.5 million has been invested in providing additional accommodation. Since the inception of the Defence Forces infrastructure development plan €18.5 million has been invested in various projects across the naval base.
Extensive work is ongoing to oversee a turnaround in the level of operational activity by our Naval Service and to this end I instructed a team consisting senior military officers, led by our Chief of Staff, and my senior officials to conduct a detailed workshop with the Naval Service. We need an action plan now for the Naval Service. On foot of this three-day workshop, conducted in March, a detailed report from the military authorities is being prepared to include courses of action to increase the numbers of ships at sea.
With regard to contact with Dún Laoghaire, I do not have the most up-to-date information on that but I know how important the issue is to Dún Laoghaire. Having a presence on the east coast of Ireland, and particularly in Dún Laoghaire, is an issue of concern for Deputy Devlin, and I see great wisdom in it too.
I thank the Tánaiste for his reply. The strategic positioning of those inland patrol vessels in Dún Laoghaire would allow for increased patrol and coverage, particularly along the eastern and south-eastern coast, and would help address the ongoing pressures the Naval Service is experiencing. I raised this matter consistently in the last Dáil with the Tánaiste's predecessors. Until the former flagship, the LÉ Eithne was decommissioned it had been twinned with Dún Laoghaire throughout her long and distinguished career. I now formally request that the Government consider one, or ideally both, of the new vessels be twinned with Dún Laoghaire Harbour again. This will not only continue a proud, local naval tradition but will also help to cement the harbour's future role as a permanent hub for the Naval Service. This is something the town and the wider hinterland would be very eager to support. I would appreciate a commitment to keep me briefed on this matter as it progresses.
I will indeed keep the Deputy briefed on this matter. I am very happy to visit the harbour in Dún Laoghaire with him and Oireachtas colleagues. I know this is an issue of real interest to people in Dún Laoghaire, to the people on the east coast, and to the Naval Service. In addition to the operational benefits this could well bring, there is also a secondary benefit, which is the visibility of the Naval Service to the young men and women on the east coast who may wish to join and be recruited. There is a very proud tradition, of which we should be rightly proud, of the Naval Service in Cork as our national Naval Service presence in Cork. We are very proud of that and we are investing more in that. Imagine the benefit if the service also had a visibility and a presence on the east coast in somewhere like Dún Laoghaire. Let me talk further to the Chief of Staff and to officials in my Department and we can arrange a follow up discussion on this shortly.
Will the Minister for Defence outline the Naval Service current fleet complement, the number of ships that are fully crewed and at sea, and his Department's plans for further upgrading of the fleet? Will he please make a statement on the matter?
I thank my colleague, Deputy Noel McCarthy, and I thank him for inviting me to Haulbowline, which he has done for a number of weeks. I very much look forward to visiting it with Deputy McCarthy and with colleagues in Cork because I am pleased to say we are investing heavily in improving the building infrastructure at Haulbowline. We have had a particular focus in recent years on trying to improve the accommodation to support our serving personnel while on duty. We have spent €13.5 million so far in providing additional accommodation. Since the inception of our development plan €18.5 million has been invested in various projects across the Haulbowline naval base as well. My senior officials, the incumbent Chief of Staff and others were down there recently for that three-day workshop to see what more we can do to support the Naval Service.
In direct answer to the Deputy's question, on 9 April 2025 there were 745 wholetime equivalent personnel within the Naval Service. I am pleased to see an uptick in the number of people now signing up. New recruits joining the Naval Service is much needed and requires constant attention.
I thank the Tánaiste for his response. I have huge respect for the Naval Service and the job it does. I have family members directly involved in the service. I was pleased to see the significant increase in funding provided to the Defence Forces in the last budget. I particularly welcome the Commission on the Defence Forces' recommendation of an accelerated programme of naval vessel replacement. In reference to this, how many of the current fleet have completed a mid-life extension programme to date, and how many are proposed to undergo such a programme in the future?
I thank the Deputy. I know that he and his family have a proud family history of serving our State through the Naval Service. I thank them and all families across our country who have proud traditions with Óglaigh na hÉireann. I welcome the fact we now have the largest Defence Forces budget that we have ever had in our country, but we have a long way to go in terms of investing in the capabilities we need, and in particular having a better understanding of what happens up in our skies and below our seas. Debate in this House often gets drawn down an alleyway into one about military neutrality. We have no plans to change military neutrality but that is not an excuse or a cop out for not properly investing in our national security.
On the Deputy's specific question on mid-life extensions, I will ask the Defence Forces for the latest information on that.
I will provide that to the Deputy in writing.
I thank the Tánaiste for his presence today.
Much of what I was intending to ask has already been discussed with regard to the number of vessels at the disposal of the Naval Service, the number in actual deployment and the number we are capable of resourcing and staffing to commission them into deployment. I am very fortunate to live within a couple of miles of the Naval Service HQ in Haulbowline and to represent the area nearby, and we are very proud of the great work that the Naval Service has done and is doing. As the Tánaiste has said a number of times during this discussion, the importance of defence is an area that is increasingly becoming important for us as a nation. We all know the great work that the Naval Service does in protecting our territorial waters. My key question relates to the number of vessels available, the staffing requirements and where exactly we stand with regard to being able to deploy those vessels on a day-to-day basis.
Deputy McGrath knows from his own community and constituency the importance of the pride within which the Naval Service is held across our country, particularly in the part of the country where he lives because people are so familiar with the service there. I look forward to visiting Haulbowline with him in the time ahead. The Naval Service currently has a fleet of eight commissioned vehicles: two P50-class large patrol vessels, four P60-class offshore patrol vessels and two P70 inshore patrol vessels. The military authorities have advised me that three of the P60 class are currently available for operations, and they are conducting patrols on a rotation basis. The fourth vessel is currently undergoing planned maintenance. Basically, it means there are approximately two vessels actively operational at sea at any time. The big thing we need to do for our Naval Service in addition to getting more ships at sea is to provide sonar capability. As the Deputy knows, we hear about suspicious ships from time to time near the part of the country where he lives. Having that sonar capability, as well as our radar capabilities, would make a real difference to the security of the State.
I welcome the Tánaiste's response. As I outlined earlier in terms of the importance of defence and protecting our territorial waters, the role of the Naval Service has expanded quite a lot in recent years in terms of maritime surveillance, protecting our marine assets, deterring criminal activity and smuggling and so on. It is welcome that we have a number of vessels at our disposal. I heard earlier that the direction of travel regarding recruitment and so on seems very positive, even though we are a bit short in terms of our overall headcount. The priority this Government is giving defence is very welcome, and I welcome the Tánaiste's role in that. I ask that he continues to prioritise defence, particularly the Naval Service, as we are an island nation and it is critically important for us.
The Deputy is right. We have to invest more in defence. In fairness, a lot of work was done, much of it by my predecessor, the Taoiseach, in terms of the Commission on the Future of the Defence Forces. That was a very helpful and important piece of infrastructure. What we do not need to do, however, is every time we try to spend some money on defence, everybody asks about funding for another Department. We do not do that with regard to anything else. If somebody says we are giving more money to the Department of education, people do not ask about the Department of Health. Yet, any time we talk about spending more on national security, people ask why we are not putting more money into every other public service. National security is not just something that is nice to have. It is really important. If, God forbid, we did not invest more in this and did not have the capabilities and something happened off our seas or in our skies, we would be facing more difficult questions in terms of why we did not make those investment decisions. We are in a good place. We have a long way to go, as the Deputy rightly said, to get to where we need to be in terms of the numbers of people in Óglaigh na hÉireann. It is all a jigsaw and is interlinked; if people start to see more investment, increased capability, more operations and the likes, it makes the Defence Forces more attractive. The reverse is also true. We need to get all the pieces of the jigsaw together.
I thank the Tánaiste for his response. Will the items we discussed today, namely, the commissioning, operational timelines, berthing arrangements and twinning with Dún Laoghaire, be actively considered? Will his officials engage directly with me on the next steps?
I express my own gratitude to the men and women of our Defence Forces for their continued service and bravery, both at home and abroad. Given today is the 75th anniversary for our Civil Defence, I congratulate it on its service here in Ireland.
My officials and I will keep in close contact with the Deputy on those issues as well. I thank him for his words of tribute to members of the Defence Forces. I am very conscious that, this week, men and women who have served in the 125th battalion in Lebanon are beginning to return home. I was in Renmore Barracks, where the 126th battalion is getting ready to be deployed to Lebanon. I met very excited soldiers, and sometimes nervous mothers, grannies, wives, husbands and children worried about their relative being away from the family. The sacrifices that the men and women of Óglaigh na hÉireann and military families make is something we should rightly pay tribute to and acknowledge. The Civil Defence in the Deputy's own community, my community and across the country makes an incredible contribution. On its 75th anniversary, Deputy Devlin is so right to rise and pay tribute to it today, and I join him in that.
162. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence to outline his plans for investment at Gormanston Camp; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17085/25]
Will the Tánaiste outline his plans for investment at Gormanston Camp?
I thank Deputy O'Rourke for raising the question and the opportunity it provides to discuss some of the various investments and infrastructure improvements that are either currently under way, or are being planned, at Gormanston Camp in County Meath. As I know the Deputy will be aware, this training installation has now been designated as the Defence Forces’ Joint Induction Training Centre. Its function is to accommodate the induction training of all future recruits into the Defence Forces. In February of this year, my Department signed a contract for the construction of a new modern gymnasium at a value of €7.8 million for a multipurpose hall, as well as a purpose-built training obstacle course at Gormanston Camp. This project, I am pleased to say, is now under construction, and the estimated date for completion is May 2026. Last month, my Department also signed a contract for the construction of a new locker block for enlisted personnel at Gormanston Camp, valued at €1.5 million. It is estimated it will take nine months to complete that.
In addition to this new facility, the following construction works and projects are also under way at Gormanston: the upgrade of blocks A and B and the provision of a new running track. These projects, with a combined value of €1.1 million, are due to be completed this year. In the coming years, projects which are at various stages of procurement design and planning will deliver new buildings for Gormanston Camp at a combined value of more than €14 million. The buildings in question are a dining hall and an accommodation block with capacity for 100 people.
All of the projects I have mentioned are part of and are included in the Defence Forces infrastructure development plan, which sets out a programme of project delivery up to 2027. The capital allocation for building works in military installations and barracks around the country for the last five years was approximately €170 million. This year the capital allocation stands at €50 million for capital investment, with a further €12.5 million for ongoing maintenance and running costs.
That investment is welcome. It was welcome news in February. It is also welcome that the work is under way. It will be this time next year when it will be ready. Does the Tánaiste have an indication of when it will be operational or the numbers of people that will pass through it? I understand that it is for all units of the Defence Forces to use as a training camp. I wish to get a sense of the level of activity that might be there.
I will read my note to give the Deputy the up-to-date figures. I am told that in 2024, 577 recruits were inducted, consisting of 451 Army, 46 Air Corps and 80 Naval Service recruits into the Permanent Defence Forces. As of 28 February, which is the last date I have for figures, 34 recruits were inducted so far this year. On 19 March 2025, Gormanston welcomed its largest recruit class at 72 recruits, and when fully operational, it will have the capacity to accommodate the induction of 900 recruits per annum.
The Deputy asked about timelines. As he rightly said, the works that were signed for in February - the multipurpose hall and the purpose-built obstacle course - are now under construction and are due to be completed by May 2026. That construction has started. I need to check the difference between when it will be completed and when it will be operational. I do not expect there is a timeline there of much significance, but I will come back to the Deputy directly on that.
I thank the Tánaiste. As I said, it is a welcome investment. I recognise the security considerations and other considerations, but is there an opportunity for the local community to access, in some shape or form, the likes of those facilities?
We recognise that there are security considerations and other considerations, but if, for example, there were a transition period during which the facilities were not being used or some arrangement could be made, is it possible that something like that could be considered? Between Gormanston and Stamullen there is a growing population and a real shortage of amenities generally. Specifically, I refer to Stamullen FC, for example, the local soccer club. This is something we have tried to raise in the past. We would like to see this very welcome investment used to its full potential, notwithstanding the security constraints.
I am smiling because this is one of the questions I get asked most frequently when I go around the country. The Deputy is right that our barracks often have good facilities and communities ask if they can get in too. Obviously, there are requirements from a security point of view, but there is also the issue of wanting our communities to be familiar with them. There have been good examples. This comes up a lot in the context of Cathal Brugha Barracks. It came up in the context of Renmore when I was there recently. I met a local community group wanting to know. In general, I have found the position of the Defence Forces and the Chief of Staff to be one of wanting to work with local communities where possible. "I do not know" is the honest answer to the question about Gormanston, but I will talk to the Chief of Staff about it and I am happy to come back to the Deputy with a written update.
Questions Nos. 163 and 164 are to be taken together. Only one of the Deputies is here.
163. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence his Department's plans this year for funding, resourcing, recruitment and retention at the Defence Forces; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16861/25]
164. Deputy Tony McCormack asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence if he will provide an update on the current recruitment and retention challenges facing the Defence Forces; the measures being taken to address these issues; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17650/25]
Could the Tánaiste detail the plans this year as regards funding, resourcing, recruitment and retention at the Defence Forces? We all know that if we take this over a five-year period, we have had more losses than we have had recruitment. It is a huge issue. We are well away from reaching what is necessary for level of ambition 2. I think that at present we could be below the numbers required even for level of ambition 1. What is to be done?
I propose to take Questions Nos. 163 and 164 together.
It is a fair point. It is a matter of lies, damned lies and statistics. It depends on when one measures the point. I am going to say progress has been made in the last year and the Deputy is going to say, "Actually, if you look back over a number of years", and both could be true. The reality is that there are some encouraging signs of a stabilisation now as regards recruitment and retention, but I am also very truthful on this in that there is a long way to go to get to where we need to be, so there is certainly no room for complacency at all. What is interesting, though, is that we are seeing through the application process very significant interest in joining the Defence Forces, and that is to be welcomed.
As of 9 April of this year, as I said earlier today, we have seen 7,545 whole-time equivalent personnel in the Defence Forces. That is 6,074 in our Army, 726 in our Air Corps and 745 in our Naval Service. We need to continue to build on this. I am pleased to say that we had 708 people inducted into the Permanent Defence Force last year. That was the highest number in over five years. The Defence Forces - I might them regularly on this; I spoke to the Chief of Staff on this recently - are hoping to induct 800 at least this year as well. That would be encouraging. In addition to that, we are seeing an encouraging trend gleaned from the discharges figure for last year. Last year, there was a discharges figure of 674. That was 81 fewer than the previous year and the lowest in four years. Therefore, last year saw the highest number inducted in over five years and the lowest number of discharges in over four years. We have to build on that. There are encouraging signs that this year will build on it, but let us keep the focus on that. I think some of this has happened because of some of the decisions we have taken and are taking and some of the work the Defence Forces have done. The points the Deputy's colleague Deputy O'Rourke just put to me are a part of it. Having that new joint induction training centre established in Gormanston was important. That will have really good facilities to train up to 900 recruits each year. As I said, the centre recently saw its largest recruit class to date, with 72 people go in the doors. We are putting the facilities in there, including gyms, multipurpose halls and purpose-built obstacle course. They are state-of-the-art training facilities. It is an example of our commitment to supporting people who join the Defence Forces. We now have the largest Defence Forces budget ever.
We have seen a very significant improvement in pay. The pay of recruits on completion of training now starts at €41,465 in year one. School leaver cadets upon commissioning earn €45,341 while in full-time education, and graduate cadets commence on €50,667, inclusive of military service allowance. It should be noted that interest in a career in the Defence Forces grew significantly in the last year. We had 13,384 applications, an increase of a third on the previous year. I am pleased to say this trend has continued this year with over 4,000 applications received by the end of March. We have increased the maximum recruitment age to 39. We have increased the mandatory retirement age to 62. We have extended private secondary healthcare to all Permanent Defence Force members. In addition, we have seen the patrol duty allowance payable to the Naval Service personnel at sea doubled, the Naval Service tax credit extended for a further five years and, very importantly, the provisions of the working time directive extended to the Defence Forces, subject to some exemptions but for the first time ever. There is a lot of work to do, but those are the plans for the time ahead and the progress we believe we have made to date.
I appreciate the answer, particularly the statement that we still have more to do. Obviously, we are starting from a point of view of legacy issues as regards pay and conditions.
Has any detailed study been done of the reasons for the discharges? As much as there was an improvement last year, and we hope for a greater improvement as regards recruitment versus discharges this year, we have a significant journey still to go. Then it is a matter of, on the basis of where we are at the minute, through forecasting, when we think we will have the numbers within the Defence Forces that we require even in relation to LOA 2.
The Tánaiste mentioned earlier the national security framework. How exactly will it operate in relation to the cybersecurity framework? When will we have some sort of detail as to how that will look? I am always curious as to how the National Cyber Security Centre fits in with the piece of work the Defence Forces have to do.
I am always conscious when speaking to this that people who are not friends of Ireland look in on these proceedings, so as regards national cybersecurity, let all of those who look in be aware that we have cybersecurity structures in place. We have an excellent National Cyber Security Centre. As Deputy Heneghan reminded us earlier, however, there is so much we need to do in this space. The Government will consider, through its national security strategy, the overall infrastructure and ecosystem, as I think Deputy Ó Murchú's colleague referred to it earlier. That is due later this year.
I do not have - I certainly do not have in front of me - an overall breakdown of the rationale or reasons behind people's discharges. What I can tell the Deputy from the paperwork on this that comes across my desk is that the reasons tend to be varied. His question has provoked a thought in my mind. I will ask - I would be happy to share with him the response - if there are three or four big issues and if there is anything we can glean further from that. I have asked the Chief of Staff and the Defence Forces to prepare for when I bring the updated implementation plan on the Commission on the Defence Forces to the Cabinet later this year, the roadmap as to how to get to the establishment figure we require for LOA 2. I think this year the test will be whether we can get to the 800 inductions.
I would appreciate it if that information could be shared.
167. Deputy Catherine Callaghan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence if he will provide an update on his recent trip to Lebanon and, in particular, his meeting with Lebanese officials about the ongoing legal proceedings in the matter relating to the death of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18043/25]
182. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence if he will report on his meetings in Lebanon recently about a case (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16860/25]
203. Deputy Seán Crowe asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence if he will report on his recent visit to Lebanon; on the engagement he had with his counterparts in the Lebanese Government, particularly regarding the case of a person (details supplied); and on his views on how conditions could be improved for Irish Defence Forces personnel serving on peacekeeping duties there; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15503/25]
My question is about Private Seán Rooney. The Tánaiste put in the public domain the fact that he was having engagements in Lebanon and that he was dissatisfied. The family and the rest of us all want to see justice. We have not seen that progress. I believe the Tánaiste and the Government are dissatisfied. How did the engagement go there? Has he any update on the post-incident internal inquiry? I think there is a bit of time still to run on that. I ask particularly about the engagement with the UN from the point of view of ensuring that the information would be provided as was required by the coroner. I think there was an initial discussion on a framework, but we also want that information to be supplied to the family. I believe the family are also looking to travel to Lebanon.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 167, 182 and 203 together.
Let me first, as we always do when we speak about this, extend our deepest sympathies to the family of the late Private Seán Rooney and thank him for his service. None of us can fathom the unimaginable pain and grief of his family. I want them to know that we think of them and are motivated every day by getting them truth and justice in relation to what happened to Private Rooney.
On the UN question specifically, on 6 August last year the coroner wrote to the UN requesting access to two reports on investigations that were carried out by the UN on 14 December 2022. The coroner has requested in her correspondence that the UN become an interested party for the purpose of the inquest, and my understanding is that the UN responded to the coroner's question in early March. We continue to apply absolute pressure and clarity of thought to the fact that Private Rooney deserves justice and that those responsible for his death must be brought to justice.
During my meetings in my recent visit to Lebanon I raised in the strongest possible terms our deep frustration at the slow pace of proceedings before the Lebanese military tribunal concerning those charged with Private Rooney's killing. I made clear the lack of progress is causing enormous distress, particularly to the family of Private Rooney. We remain in close contact with the Lebanese authorities and his family.
Will the information be supplied to the families?
I will engage on that.
My question is also about Private Seán Rooney. As the Tánaiste knows, I have a special interest in the Middle East and in peacekeeping as a former UN peacekeeper. I travelled that road from Tibnin to Beirut Airport as Private Seán Rooney did. Can the Tánaiste provide us with an update on his recent trip to Lebanon? He outlined it to Deputy Ó Murchú, but if he has something else to add, I would be very grateful to hear it.
I thank the Deputy for her own service and the unique insight she brings to debates in this House having served in Lebanon with our Defence Forces. I very much welcome the opportunity to update the House on my recent visit to Lebanon. A central focus of that visit on 26 March was on my meetings with the Lebanese Ministers for foreign affairs and defence. At those meetings, my first with both individuals, I left the Ministers in no doubt with regard to the absolute determination of the Government to ensure those responsible for Private Rooney’s death are brought to justice. During my meetings with both Ministers, I raised in the strongest terms our deep frustration at the slow pace of proceedings before the Lebanese military tribunal concerning those charged with Private Rooney's killing. I made it clear the lack of progress is causing enormous distress, particularly for the family of Private Rooney. We are mindful of the independence of Lebanon's judicial system but I reiterated that it is essential to see real movement and real accountability given the delays in the trial to date. I also noted the postponement of the most recent hearing of the trial on 12 February, with the next one not scheduled until 17 September.
The Lebanese Ministers acknowledged the seriousness of the case and assured me of the commitment of the new Lebanese Government in bringing the perpetrators to justice. They also took the opportunity to express their condolences to the family of Private Rooney and to Ireland and their appreciation for Ireland's long-standing commitment to peacekeeping through UNIFIL. I conveyed to both Ministers our strong sense of frustration and I also formally handed over a letter to the Lebanese Minister for foreign affairs further underlining the importance of seeing urgent and concrete progress on this issue.
While I was in Lebanon, I was delighted and honoured to see the men and women serving there, to see how they serve with absolute distinction, to see Camp Shamrock and to see a contingent that has spent so much of their time over there in bunkers. At that stage they had been there for approximately five months and the equivalent of one month had been spent in bunkers, just to give a sense of the volatility of the region. I was very pleased to see when I was there, though, that those serving there were back out on patrols and that the situation, while it can always change, was a little bit more stable. I know many of the personnel have served with distinction. They were beginning to think about coming home as well and looking forward to reuniting with family. I was honoured to be in Renmore Barracks for the review of our troops before the 126th Battalion heads off in the coming days. I take the opportunity again to thank everyone who has served with the UNIFIL mission. I thank all the men and women of Óglaigh na hÉireann, including the Deputy, for their service. We should be very proud as a country of the great contribution our peacekeepers have made around the world and particularly in Lebanon.
