Noel McCarthy
Question:188. Deputy Noel McCarthy asked the Minister for Defence to provide an update on the work of the newly established Office of Veterans Affairs; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12476/26]
View answerTuesday, 17 February 2026
Questions (188)
Written answers
At the outset, I wish to recognise the outstanding contribution made to the State by our ex-service personnel. As a reflection of the deep respect the Government has for our Veterans, the Office of Veterans Affairs was formally established on 10th November 2025.
The primary areas of responsibility for the office will include working with the Veterans Associations, engagement on behalf of veterans as a group, research into the issues affecting veterans and consideration of the issues involved in drafting a Veterans Policy.
The Office of Veteran Affairs is currently engaging in discussions with Veterans’ Associations to identify their priorities, understand their expectations of the Office, and gather their views on key areas of concern affecting veterans. These engagements will help to clarify how the Office can best support the associations and their members and ensure that its work aligns with the needs and expectations of the veteran community.
The Office will continue to facilitate financial support by way of annual subvention provided by the Department of Defence through ongoing engagement with two recognised Veterans Associations, the Organisation of National Ex-Service Personnel (ONE) and the Irish United Nations Veterans Associations (IUNVA). Under Service Level Agreements, the subvention currently stands at €173,000 to ONE and €40,000 to IUNVA per annum.
Dormant Accounts funding is also made available to assist both ONE and IUNVA with specific special projects. To date, €1,300,000 in funding has been allotted to the Veterans Associations. In late 2025, I had the pleasure of opening a new Veteran Training Centre for IUNVA which was funded in part by Dormant Account Funding and will ensure that Veterans can continue to train and connect after they leave active service.
I will be meeting with each of the four main recognised Veterans’ Associations at the beginning of March and look forward to constructive and meaningful engagement with them as we continue our discussions.
Question No. 189 answered with Question No. 187.
Question No. 190 answered with Question No. 174.