Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 17 February 2026
183. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Defence the surveillance and reconnaissance capability gaps in the Army’s current drone systems that the planned acquisitions under the Defence Sectoral National Development Plan are intended to address; the indicators that will be used to measure improved capability; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12372/26]
View answer222. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Defence the funding allocated in the Defence Sectoral National Development Plan for expanding and integrating Army drone capability; the expected timeline for achieving enhanced operational capacity; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12373/26]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 183 and 222 together.
One of my key priorities as Minister for Defence is to ensure that the operational capacity of the Defence Forces is maintained and developed in line with the Government’s decision to move to Level of Ambition 2 (LOA2), as defined by the Commission on the Defence Forces (CODF).
Amongst its recommendations on capability development, the CODF recommended the development of a primary radar capability to ensure that Ireland can maintain a complete ‘Recognised Air Picture’, and that this should be an immediate and top priority. There are three elements to the Military Radar Programme: Land based Long Range Primary Radar; Ground Based Air Defence (GBAD) systems, to include a Counter-Unmanned Aerial Systems (C-UAS) capability; and Maritime (ship-borne) Radar.
This programme of work is ongoing and very good progress has been made. Full delivery of the Programme will be complex; but has been prioritised with a target date of 2028 identified in the CODF Detailed Implementation Plan. That being said, elements of this capability will be rolled out in phases, starting this year with a particular focus on Counter-UAS capabilities.
The revised National Development Plan Capital allocation for the Defence Vote Group for the period 2026-2030 is €1.7 billion. This represents an increase of €600 million (55%) on the previous baseline allocation of €1.1 billion. For 2026, this will see the overall Defence allocation increase by €66 million to €300 million, of which €191million will go to key capability development equipment projects.
Over the lifetime of this plan, the key Government capital priority for the Defence Sector will be the delivery of the Military Radar Programme. Other vitally important Defence projects, including Subsea Awareness, Software Defined Radio, H145M Light Utility Helicopters will also be advanced along with the acquisition of a wide range of essential Force Protection equipment.
The new Strategic Framework for the Transformation of the Defence Forces which I published last week outlines the significant number of equipment projects to commence in the next twelve months, including Small Unmanned Aerial Systems. The Defence Forces have an existing unmanned air system (UAS) capability which is reaching its end of life shortly, and planning is underway for a replacement capability. It is expected that the replacement systems will provide a versatile ISTAR (Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition and Reconnaissance) capability for Defence Forces training and operations on island and overseas.
For longer term capability planning, the civil/military Capability Development Unit, established in 2023 in response to a recommendation in the CoDF to implement a top down capability development planning process, are finalising a Capability Development Programme, that will identify at a high level, the capabilities required out to 2040. That programme, will consider the requirements for additional unmanned systems and is expected to be finalised in the first half of this year.
