Written Answers Nos. 1-21
1. Deputy Catherine Callaghan asked the Taoiseach for an update on the revised National Security Strategy as was committed to in the Programme for Government; and to provide a timeline for its publication. [52080/26]
View answer2. Deputy Catherine Callaghan asked the Taoiseach to report on his review of the existing national security structures as was committed to in the Programme for Government; and his plans for the further strengthening of these structures. [52081/26]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 1 and 2 together.
The Programme for Government 2025, Securing Ireland's Future, sets out a number of commitments relating to national security and defence.
Work is ongoing in finalising drafting the strategy and the examination of our national security structures, integrating inputs from a range of relevant stakeholders, including the Departments of Foreign Affairs and Trade; Defence; Justice, Home Affairs and Migration; An Garda Síochána; the Defence Forces and National Cyber Security Centre. This work is co-ordinated by the National Security Secretariat in my Department.
The preparation of a draft strategy covers a broad range of national security issues. There will be a focus on the State’s internal security, including the evolving challenges we face from terrorism and extremism and from cyber threats, and a focus on the need to increase investment in security and to modernise our legislation in the security field, notably in the investigatory powers available to our security services.
The work also includes the implications of recent security, defence and international developments and their related impacts, notably the deteriorating security situation in Europe given Russia's ongoing war in Ukraine, and the growth in cyber and hybrid threats in Europe.
The work will also build on the range of sectoral strategies and documents, and anticipated developments, including the Maritime Security Strategy, the forthcoming third National Cyber Security Strategy, the Counter-Disinformation Strategy and the Defence Policy Review. It will also take account of the recommendations of the first annual report of the Independent Examiner of Security Legislation.
3. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Taoiseach to provide the amounts by which his Department or agencies within the aegis of his Department that has been defrauded as a result of a cyberattack; and the total amount which has been recovered for each of the years 2021 to 2025, and to date in 2026. [51992/26]
View answerNeither the Department of the Taoiseach nor the National Economic Social Development Office - the only body under the aegis of the Department - has been defrauded as a result of a cyber attack in the period in question.
4. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Taoiseach the range of topics covered and the outcome of his discussions in Cork with the President of the European Commission. [52318/26]
View answerI met with the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, and the College of Commissioners, during their visit to Cork on 2-3 July.
The meetings, held over two days, were an opportunity to exchange views on priorities for our EU Presidency.
I met bilaterally with the President and we discussed issues including the One Europe, One Market Roadmap to improve Europe's competitiveness; enlargement; security; and negotiations on the Multiannual Financial Framework, the Union's budget for the period beyond 2028. We also discussed international issues, including Ukraine and the Middle East.
I also co-chaired a joint meeting of Ministers and Commissioners with the President at which we discussed the key policies we hope to advance under the themes of our Presidency: competitiveness, values and security.
5. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade to provide the amounts by which her Department or agencies within the aegis of her Department has that been defrauded as a result of a cyberattack; and the total amount which has been recovered for each of the years 2021 to 2025, and to date in 2026. [51984/26]
View answerMy Department has not been defrauded as a result of a cyberattack in any of the years 2021 to 2025, and to date in 2026. There are no agencies under my aegis.
6. Deputy Eoin Hayes asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade to provide details of the humanitarian supports Ireland is providing to Venezuela in the aftermath of the recent earthquakes; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52004/26]
View answer10. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the humanitarian support her Department has provided to Venezuela following the devastating earthquakes; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52189/26]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 6 and 10 together.
The Government shares the shock at the widespread loss of life and the destruction as a result of the two powerful earthquakes that struck Venezuela on 24 June.
We have expressed our solidarity with the people of Venezuela and have made it clear that Ireland is ready to provide all possible assistance in the global response.
On 30 June, Minister McEntee and I announced the provision of €1 million in humanitarian assistance for the Venezuela Earthquake Appeal of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC). This funding will support the Venezuelan Red Cross, who are among the first responders and are best placed to carry out search and rescue, provide physical and psychological first aid, restore family links and conduct damage assessments.
Ireland is also responding through our contributions to global humanitarian funds. $15m has been provided from the UN Central Emergency Response Fund to UN agencies responding to the earthquake. Ireland is the 6th largest donor to the Fund. CHF2 million has been provided to the Venezuelan Red Cross from the IFRC's Disaster Response Emergency Fund. We had earlier provided €1 million to the Venezuela Humanitarian Fund, managed by the UN Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), which is now also responding to the earthquake.
The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade is liaising with Irish aid organisations working in Venezuela on the possible deployment of relief items from Ireland’s pre-positioned stocks in the UN Humanitarian Response Depot in Panama. This would be delivered in partnership with the EU. Ireland prepositions essential relief items in strategic hubs around the world to facilitate the quick and cost-effective provision of relief items.
The Department will continue to engage closely with our EU, UN, Red Cross and aid partners to understand evolving needs and to ensure that we can provide all possible assistance for the people of Venezuela at this tragic moment.
7. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if her Department plans to hold events in County Clare during and related to the EU Presidency term; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52014/26]
View answerIreland assumed the Presidency of the Council of the European Union on 1 July and will hold it until 31 December 2026. The Presidency is an opportunity for Ireland to play an important role in leading and shaping the EU’s policy and legislative agenda, and the Government has made a firm commitment to deliver a successful Presidency.
The calendar of Presidency meetings and events was launched on 10 June and published alongside our priorities and policy programme on eire2026.eu and ireland2026.eu.
In the Programme for Government, we committed to bringing some of the high-level meetings of our Presidency to cities and counties across Ireland, ensuring that the entire country benefits from the profile the Presidency brings. Overall, including conferences and meetings of officials from across the 27 EU Member States, we expect to host more than 250 Presidency events in Ireland.
Last week, as part of our Presidency events programme, the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment hosted a conference on the theme of "Electrifying Ireland: A Shared Vision for the Future" at Ardnacrusha in Co. Clare, gathering experts to discuss the ambitious drive towards electrification across Europe. This event also featured senior officials from domestic and international government organisations, chief executive-level attendees from State and semi-State bodies, and senior employees from private sector companies and industry representative bodies. Local public representatives and senior officials from local authorities were also invited to attend the event.
In addition, throughout the Presidency term, the County Pairings initiative will provide a framework for communities across the country to engage with the work of the Presidency. County Clare has been paired with Croatia. This initiative will contribute to building Ireland’s relationship with its EU partners as we take on a significant leadership role at European level.
8. Deputy Paula Butterly asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade to respond to correspondence received (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52079/26]
View answerIrish has been a Treaty language since 1973, the year of Ireland's accession, meaning that only the EU treaties were translated into Irish.
In 2005, after a long period of campaigning, the Irish Government applied for Irish to become an official and working language in the EU. It was granted this status two years later, in January 2007. However, due to a shortage of translation staff and technological resources, it was announced that there would be a limit to the amount of material provided in Irish compared to other EU languages, a limit which has been extended on a number of occasions. In 2015, following a request from the Irish Government, the EU agreed to gradually bring the derogation arrangement to an end by 1 January 2022, and at midnight on 31 December 2021, the Irish language was granted full official and working status in the European Union, meaning it was now on a par with all other official EU languages.
However, on 12 March 2024, the European Parliament passed a derogation from this requirement (Rule 168) which permitted that if, allowing that adequate precautions having been taken, interpreters or translators required for an official language are not available in sufficient numbers.
The European Parliament determined that it has insufficient capacity to allow full interpretation service in Irish and Maltese and therefore extended Rule 168 to the end of the 10th parliamentary term in 2029 for these two languages. The only documents which are guaranteed translation are legal acts of general application.
Despite this, the Department of Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht who lead on the promotion of the Irish language across all EU institutions, have confirmed that the European Parliament makes a very high percentage of its documentation made available in Irish – 80% in both 2022 and 2023 and over 90% in 2024.
While a relatively large number of documents are being translated into Irish, the problem primarily arises during committee sessions, where the Parliament continues to assert that there is an insufficient number of personnel to allow for live interpretation into and from the Irish language.
Increasing the number of Irish interpreters across the EU institutions is a priority for the Government and forms part of wider efforts to increase the number of Irish officials in the EU as part of the Career for EU strategy. An extensive series of measures designed to increase the number of Irish language interpreters available to the EU institutions has been ongoing since 2018 including funding for additional third level courses, and an internship programme for translators, proof-readers and conference translators within the EU institutions. This has been achieved with the active support, including financial of the EU. This issue is raised on regular basis within the Parliament at both official and political level. We will continue to argue for the ending of this derogation and against any proposal to extend it beyond 2029.
We will also continue to work alongside our MEPs to highlight this issue. The 2026 Presidency is the first Irish Presidency since Irish became a fully operational working language of the European Union in January 2022. The Irish Presidency will demonstrate the Union’s commitment to linguistic diversity by integrating Irish into Council business, official communications and cultural events.
9. Deputy Eoin Hayes asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the Government's position on the Paris protocol and its operational applicability to economic relations between Palestine and Israel. [52144/26]
View answerThe Protocol on Economic Relations or the 'Paris Protocol' was an agreement concluded in 1994 between Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization and subsequently incorporated into the Oslo II Accord the following year.
More than thirty years later, the interim arrangements set out in that Protocol continue to be applicable. The Protocol provides that Israel collects customs revenues, VAT and certain other taxes on behalf of the Palestinian Authority which it then transfers to the Palestinian Ministry of Finance, following the deduction of a 3% administration fee.
Palestine’s economic dependence on Israel for the collection and transfer of tax revenues has been exploited by Israel’s partial implementation of the Protocol and withholding transferring Palestinian tax clearance revenues. Israel has not transferred any Palestinian tax revenues since April 2025 and the total amount withheld is now estimated to be close to USD$3 billion.
Ireland is deeply concerned about attempts to suffocate the Palestinian economy. Israel must release in full the withheld Palestinian tax clearance revenues to the Palestinian Authority and take all necessary measures to ensure that correspondent banking services between Israeli and Palestinian banks remain in place.
Ireland has been clear that the progress that the Palestinian Authority has made on reforms is being continually undermined by Israel, including through the continued withholding of tax clearance revenue.
There is strong consensus at EU and international level that Israel must release revenues withheld from the Palestinian Authority. I intend to raise this issue again at the second meeting of the Palestine Donor Group in Brussels which I will attend on 13 July.
11. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment to provide the amounts by which his Department or agencies within the aegis of his Department that has been defrauded as a result of a cyberattack; and the total amount which has been recovered for each of the years 2021 to 2025, and to date in 2026. [51978/26]
View answerMy Department has not been subject to any financial lost or defraud resulting from a cyberattack as referenced in the question.
The information sought in the Question in relation to each agency or public body under the aegis of my Department is an operational matter for each of the State Bodies concerned and, as such, it is not information held by my Department. It is suggested that the Deputy contact the Bodies directly in relation to this matter. A list of these Bodies and their dedicated Oireachtas email addresses is attached.
12. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment when a response will issue to correspondence (details supplied) that was sent to him by this Deputy on 2 June 2026; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52210/26]
View answer13. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment if his Department plans to include all energy providers in the delivery of the Solar PV for the Medically Vulnerable Scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52281/26]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 12 and 13 together.
The Solar PV for the Medically Vulnerable Scheme is a targeted scheme for the installation of solar photovoltaic (PV) panels for customers/households who are registered on the life support category of the Priority Services Register. These homes have a dependence on electrically powered equipment, including medical equipment, life protecting devices and assistive technologies such as dialysis machines and respirators. As such, these households may have a higher energy demand than the average user and this scheme is designed to go some way towards helping to reduce those energy costs.
The scheme is operated by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) in conjunction with energy suppliers, with each energy supplier contacting their own eligible customers directly, in line with the work plans for their solar PV installers. Eligible households can avail of a fully funded 2kWp solar PV system, including survey/design, supply, installation, and the post works BER.
It is open to energy suppliers to contact the SEAI to participate in the scheme. Each participating supplier receives an allocated amount of funding under their Memorandum of Understanding with the SEAI and contacts eligible households in batches, based on operational capacity. The administrative aspects of the scheme are a matter for the energy suppliers under their Memorandum of Understanding with the SEAI.
The scheme is energy supplier-led, meaning each energy supplier is responsible for contacting their own eligible customers directly and assigning a solar PV installer to assess if the home is suitable for an upgrade. Under the scheme, homeowners can choose to pay extra to increase the number or size of their solar PV installation. This is a private arrangement between the homeowner and the dedicated solar PV installer. The Government, through the SEAI, funds each energy supplier for the installations provided to eligible customers.
The scheme is administered by each electricity supplier in line with their own operational capacity and delivery model. Suppliers apply their own selection processes to identify eligible homes, and schedule works in a manner that is most efficient and appropriate to their business operations. As each supplier manages the scheme independently, the suppliers themselves are best placed to answer any specific questions regarding their selection criteria, scheduling processes, or delivery approach.
I understand that feedback regarding the need for clarity regarding eligibility and the selection process has been outlined by the SEAI to the participating energy suppliers. I would encourage all households who are eligible for the scheme to contact their energy supplier directly if they have any questions on eligibility or the selection process for the scheme.
14. Deputy Ryan O'Meara asked the Minister for Defence further to Parliamentary Question No. 357 of 9 June 2026, the roles, ranks and corps represented by the three direct entry appointments made in 2026; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [51920/26]
View answer15. Deputy Ryan O'Meara asked the Minister for Defence further to Parliamentary Question No. 357 of 9 June 2026, the number and categories of Permanent Defence Force specialist vacancies which it is intended to fill through Direct Entry during 2026; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [51921/26]
View answer17. Deputy Ryan O'Meara asked the Minister for Defence further to Parliamentary Question No. 357 of 9 June 2026, the current average timeframes between application and formal appointment of direct entry candidates, and measures taken to optimise specialist entry pathways; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [51923/26]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 14, 15 and 17 together.
As Minister for Defence, I am fully committed to supporting, optimising and strengthening recruitment and retention in the Permanent Defence Force.
The Defence Forces advise that the 3 Direct Entry Specialists inducted into the Permanent Defence Force in 2026 were an Army Motor Fitter (Private) and 2 Naval Service Engine Room Artificers (Leading Seaman). Since the time of the previous PQ, 1 Naval Service Electrical Engineer (Leading Seaman), 1 Naval Service Radio Radar Technician (Leading Seaman) and 2 Operations Branch Officers (Sub-Lieutenant) were also inducted.
It is intended to fill the following vacancies through Direct Entry in 2026. These competitions are underway and final induction numbers are to be confirmed:
|
Appointment |
Projected Inductions to the Appointment in 2026 |
|
Medical Officer |
2 |
|
Pharmacist |
1 |
|
Dental Hygienist |
1 |
|
Dental Nurse |
1 |
|
Chef |
1 |
|
Instrumentalist |
19 |
|
Aerospace Technician |
10 |
|
Dental Officer |
1 |
|
Naval Service Direct Entrants (all streams) |
15 |
The average timeline for application to vetting is 81 Days, which includes shortlisting, fitness testing (where applicable), interview and induction medical testing. Candidates then enter the security vetting processes. This is outside the control of the Defence Forces and may take a considerable length of time, depending on factors including; country of birth, countries in which the candidate has lived and the time spent in these countries. Once security vetting has been approved, the candidate will be offered an appointment. A candidate may have to work a period of notice from a previous employer before commencing service in the Defence Forces.
In addition to traditional recruitment, several measures have been introduced aimed at restoring and retaining capacity and boosting specialist numbers. These include an ongoing scheme which permits former personnel with specialist skills to re-enter the Permanent Defence Force and Direct Entry is utilised in the recruitment of specialists.
I am pleased that there continues to be very strong interest in a career in the Defence Forces with a total of 16,510 applications received in 2025 and a further 10,252 applications received to end May 2026. The challenge now for the Defence Forces is to convert the high level of applications to inductions. A draft Strategic Workforce Plan prepared by the Defence Forces has recently been submitted to me for consideration. The draft plan, recommendations, and modelling tool will be considered over the coming weeks. As the Deputy will be aware, the aim of this process is to provide a pathway to the achievement of a strength of 11,500, inclusive of civilian personnel, commensurate with Level of Ambition 2.
Increases in application numbers and in the overall strength of the PDF, over the last three years, demonstrate that the key enabling measures which the Government has introduced to support and drive Defence Forces recruitment and retention are yielding results. There also continues to be significant progress on pay with all personnel benefiting from a further pay award delivered earlier this month.
16. Deputy Ryan O'Meara asked the Minister for Defence further to Parliamentary Question No. 357 of 9 June 2026, the current status of the six direct entry reserve officer candidates referred to; the anticipated timeframe for completion of their commissioning process; and whether she intends to further utilise direct entry reserve officer recruitment beyond this cohort. [51922/26]
View answerIt has not been possible to provide a response within the time frame available. I will respond to the Deputy when the information requested is to hand.
18. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Defence the key measures taken to increase recruitment to the Defence Forces since January 2025; her priorities for the rest of 2026; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [51927/26]
View answer24. Deputy Mark Wall asked the Minister for Defence whether the Defence Forces is on course to achieve the recruitment target of 11,500 personnel, as recommended by the Commission on Defence Forces; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52070/26]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 18 and 24 together.
As Minister for Defence, I am fully committed to Increasing and strengthening recruitment and supporting retention in the Permanent Defence Force.
The Military Authorities advise that the strength of the Permanent Defence Force (PDF) stood at 7,823 personnel on the 31 May, the latest date for which this figure is available. This represents a year on year increase of more than 200 personnel.
Last year saw a modest, though significant, growth in the overall strength with a total of 790 inductions achieved- the highest in twenty years and the number of personnel who discharged was at its lowest level in more than five years. I am determined to build on the expansion in personnel numbers achieved and have set a target of 850 inductions for 2026.
I am pleased that there continues to be very strong interest in a career in the Defence Forces with a total of 16,510 applications received in 2025 and over 10,000 applications received to end May 2026. The challenge now for the Defence Forces is to convert the high level of applications to inductions. A draft Strategic Workforce Plan prepared by the Defence Forces has recently been submitted to me for consideration. As the Deputy will be aware, the aim of this process is to provide a pathway to the achievement of a strength of 11,500, inclusive of civilian personnel, commensurate with Level of Ambition 2.
Increases in application numbers and in the overall strength of the PDF, over the last three years, demonstrate that the key enabling measures which the Government has introduced to support and drive Defence Forces recruitment and retention are yielding results. There also continues to be significant progress on pay with all personnel benefiting from a further pay award delivered earlier this month.
In addition, a wide ranging programme of capital investment in Defence Forces infrastructure, aimed at facilitating and enabling greater levels of recruitment and retention, continues apace. I was pleased to see first hand the significant progress being made during my recent visit to the Joint Induction Training Centre in Gormanston Barracks, an impressive facility which will, eventually, provide for the training of up to 900 recruits per annum. I was also proud to officially open the USAC building in Galway in February last - a 69 bed state of the art accommodation facility which was completed at a cost of €12.3 million,- and, in April, to officially open the refurbished Block 4 accommodation building in the Naval Service Base, Haulbowline, which will accommodate an additional 74 personnel following an investment of €8.8million.
Opportunities for careers in the Defence Forces remain open via a diverse range of ongoing competitions including general service recruitment, re-entry schemes and multiple direct entry competitions for specialist roles.
Underpinning these and other measures, I ensured that Budget 2026 provided a record allocation of €1.49 billion for the Defence Sector, an increase of €145 million on 2025. These funds include provision for the recruitment of a net 400 additional PDF members per annum. Furthermore the capability framework devised by the Commission on Defence Forces provides for an increase in the Defence budget to €1.5 billion by 2028, index linked to inflation, as part of the annual estimates processes. This level of funding increase will allow for the required substantial transformation and investment in recruitment and equipment identified by the Commission.
Significant strides continue to be made on a number of fronts and the allocation of record levels of expenditure, coupled with the initiatives I have outlined here, is illustrative of my commitment to building on the growth in recruitment and the stabilisation in retention achieved in recent years.
19. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Defence the key measures taken to increase retention levels in the Defence Forces since January 2025; her priorities for the rest of 2026; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [51928/26]
View answerStabilising the numbers of Defence Force personnel and facilitating the capacity for further increases is a key priority for me as Minister for Defence.
As the Deputy will be aware, there are multiple factors that influence retention levels and this is broadly experienced across all militaries internationally. That said, I am pleased to say that actions taken to date are having a measurable impact on stabilisation efforts.
Turnover levels in the Permanent Defence Force are carefully monitored and data provided by the Defence Forces indicates that turnover rates have reduced over the last two years with a turnover rate of approximately 7.6% in 2025. This is significantly less than the turnover rate of 9% recorded for 2024 and is a very positive turnover rate when compared with militaries internationally where annual attrition rates of 8 to 12 per cent are typical.
An annual outflow of personnel in the Defence Forces occurs due to statutory retirement ages, completion of contracted service, medical discharges, and other natural retirements. The objective is not to eliminate turnover, but to keep attrition as low as reasonably practicable while maintaining operational capability.
To mitigate attrition and strengthen workforce stability, several measures are being implemented, including increases in the maximum ages of recruitment and retirement, the extension of private secondary healthcare to all personnel, the application of the provisions of the Working Time Directive across the Defence Forces subject to certain exemptions, increases to Patrol Duty allowance payable to Naval Service personnel at sea, and extension of the Naval Service tax credit to 2029.
A draft Strategic Workforce Plan prepared by the Defence Forces has been submitted to me for consideration. The draft plan, recommendations, and modelling tool will be considered over the coming weeks. As the Deputy will be aware, the aim of this process is to provide a pathway to the achievement of a strength of 11,500, inclusive of civilian personnel, commensurate with Level of Ambition 2.
In addition, Local Bargaining measures are being introduced to support initiatives to improve retention in key capability areas.
I want to reassure the Deputy that prioritising the attraction and retention of talented individuals across the entire Defence Forces is a priority and in an ever buoyant employment market, I want to see the Defence Forces as an employer of choice.
20. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Defence the key measures taken to support and expand the Reserve Defence Force since January 2025; her priorities for the rest of 2026; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [51929/26]
View answerMy key priority is the modernisation of our Defence Forces, and revitalising our Reserve Defence Forces is a vital part of that transformation process.
A key recommendation of the Commission on the Defence Forces (CoDF) for the Reserve Defence Force (RDF) was the establishment in 2022 of the Office of Reserve Affairs (ORA) to oversee and support a holistic approach to the revitalisation of the RDF. In July 2024, that Office published the RDF Regeneration and Development Plan which contains 27 individual Actions across four objectives - (i) Recruitment & Retention, (ii) Resourcing, (iii) Training & Education, and (iv) Integration & Deployment - and the Defence Forces advise that there has been significant progress made in respect of these actions.
In order to raise the public’s awareness of the opportunities available in the RDF, a considerable RDF advertising awareness campaign will be coordinated across all media modes later in 2026, including television and radio adverts.
A recent update on the Detailed Implementation Plan (DIP), which sets out the pathway to implement the CoDF recommendations and associated governance arrangement, detailed seven RDF specific actions which are scheduled to be completed or substantially progressed by the end of 2026, including: -
Skillset Profiling – A solution to enable the development of an RDF skills portal, that provides the skillsets of RDF members to relevant Defence Force personnel, is being developed.
Lateral Entry Mechanisms into the RDF – Consideration of proposals to enable the lateral entry of enlisted personnel into the RDF is being progressed.
RDF Deployment policy – The recent application of Supplemental Military Service provisions regularises RDF activities in support the Permanent Defence Force.
Mechanism to support a diverse RDF - The Defence Forces are implementing initiatives contained in the current RDF Recruitment Strategy.
Increased direct entry recruitment to the RDF – The Direct Entry mechanism has been enabled and consideration is currently being given to the direct entry commissioning of 6 individuals into the RDF. Further enhancement will include direct entry at non-commissioned ranks.
Reserve Recruitment Plan – this is complete and is being implemented by the Defence Forces.
Employment Protection Legislation – My Department will complete a further evaluation of Employment Protection Legislation. Engagement with the Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment is ongoing and it is planned to host a series of meetings with stakeholders and ‘Business in the Communities’ in Quarter 3 2026. These meetings will also include discussions on supports for Irish SMEs who facilitate staff to be members of the RDF. Proposals will be brought forward for my approval by end Q2 2027.
Finally, a clear indication of my commitment to the support and revitalising of our Reserve Defence Force is the substantial expansion of the RDF budget, which continues to increase in pace with the enhanced role of the RDF and increased from €3.542m in 2025 to €4.535m for 2026.
21. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Defence to provide the amounts by which her Department or agencies within the aegis of her Department that has been defrauded as a result of a cyberattack; and the total amount which has been recovered for each of the years 2021 to 2025, and to date in 2026. [51980/26]
View answerMy Department’s core IT infrastructure is provided by the Office of the Government Chief Information Officer (OGCIO) under the 'Build to Share Managed Desktop' shared service.
My Department, working with the OGCIO, implements a multi layered defence-in-depth security strategy which is achieved through the effective combination of People, Processes, and Technology to support the implementation of appropriate security measures and provisions. This defence-in-depth security strategy includes the implementation of an extensive Information Security Management System (ISMS) comprising of many security policies and controls, which is aligned and certified to the industry security standard ISO 27001:2022 to address risks from cyber security attacks. These security controls ensure that a consistent and effective approach is adhered to in the management of cyber security threats and incidents.
As a result, my Department nor any agency under its aegis was defrauded as a result of a cyberattack in any of the years 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024 or 2025, or to date in 2026.
Accordingly, the amount lost as a result of such incidents was nil in each of those years, and the amount recovered was also nil.
