Our challenge within defence is to be dynamic enough to be able to respond to that and turn those numbers around, and that is what we intend to do.

I propose to take Questions Nos. 10 and 27 together. I am always happy to answer questions on the Reserve because it is an area of the defence family I want to prioritise and, in the past, perhaps it may not have had the priority it needs. The Government remains committed to the advancement of the Reserve Defence Force, RDF. Indeed, the White Paper on Defence has fully acknowledged that there is a clear need to retain, develop and grow the Reserve. The report of the Commission on the Defence Forces, which was publi…

This 88 will not be the final number from the 1,000 who applied. Assessment is ongoing. As people who have been in the Defence Forces will know, in order to progress applications, medicals and security checks need to happen. A series of tests is required before a person can be inducted into the Defence Forces, including the Reserve. That process is under way for many more applicants. In truth, we have faced some challenges. We need to learn some lessons to improve the next time around. For example, the pressure the…

Diversity is an issue for the permanent Defence Forces and for the Reserve. My understanding is that, as of 31 October, the effective female strength of the Reserve Defence Force is 199 members. We need a lot more than that. All recruitment campaigns will be focused on trying to ensure the Defence Forces reflect Irish society, which is as diverse and gender-balanced as it possibly can be. I suspect I will get an update on the office of Reserve affairs later on. The plan was to have it set up within six months of th…

I propose to take Questions Nos. 11, 25, 26, 53, 190 and 197 together. The Commission on the Defence Forces was established on foot of a commitment in the programme for Government. As Minister for Defence, I welcomed the publication of the report of the commission on 9 February. The commission has undertaken a significant body of work encompassing wide-ranging terms of reference. It recommends significant changes for the Defence Forces and defence provision in Ireland. It covers high-level Defence Forces structures…

The high-level action plan is the document the Deputy will need to have a look at. The plan itemises 38 early actions and there is a range of other actions that go beyond this as well. Deputy Bruton raised some specifics, the first being applying the working time directive to the Defence Forces. We have made a lot of progress on that this year. We are, effectively, finalising the consultation process at the moment. This involves the general staff, the Department and representative bodies in the Defence Forces to ma…

One of the big attractions of the Defence Forces is that a person can continue his or her education, and in many cases it is paid for by the Defence Forces. A big part of the Defence Forces is the opportunity to upskill and to get promoted. One of the changes we are looking to make is to provide more certainty and transparency around those promotion opportunities for career advancement and so on within the Defence Forces, and to back this up with the opportunities to upskill and to return to education, with a view …

It is not a breach of neutrality, just like us providing funds through the European peace facility to help Ukrainian defence forces protect their people is not a breach of neutrality either.

We are not aligned militarily but we are absolutely entitled to take sides. In my view, if we had not taken sides in this war we would effectively be taking the side of the oppressor. I do not believe the Irish people would support that course of action. The most recent Foreign Affairs Council in defence ministers format took place in Brussels on 15 November. There were three items on the agenda: a working session on current affairs; a working session on defence capabilities and operational realities; and a working…

Will I have time to come back or are we closed off? It is important to get this on the record.

I will not be allowed.

I spoke about this at some length last night in the Seanad. I have given a clear commitment to the Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs and Defence that I would discuss with the committee the way in which I believe the triple lock mechanism should evolve. I do not believe that it is okay to continue on the basis of relying on a UN Security Council mandate to send Irish troops abroad if that mandate may be blocked by the use of the veto, given current tensions between P5 member states of the Security Council. I do not…

-----was 70% in the dark last night because of the deliberate targeting of civilians-----

-----by a country that Deputy Murphy does not seem willing to criticise.

Instead the Deputy is focused on criticising a Government decision to help a country to defend itself and its people.

There is no finalisation as to what the role will be but-----

Sorry, what report is the Senator referring to? Is it the independent review?

I hope so.

I, too, welcome Mr. Flaherty back to this House. He is somebody who kept us safe and in order here for most of my political life in these Houses. It is great to see John with this colleagues here.

And the students of Trinity College, absolutely.