Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 2 October 2025
223. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence if his Department is satisfied that sufficient budgetary foresight was applied when barriers to recruitment for the Reserve Defence Forces were removed, given that internal documents show that, by November 2024, the existing budget was already insufficient to pay reservists for the remainder of the year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52674/25]
Amharc ar fhreagra224. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence given that the budget for reserve training and support days was €3.01 million and exhausted during 2024, and supplementary funds assigned earlier in the year proved inadequate, will he provide for the reasons the supplementary funds were insufficient; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52675/25]
Amharc ar fhreagra232. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence the total amount of funding allocated to the Reserve Defence Forces for the years 2019 to 2024 inclusive, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52889/25]
Amharc ar fhreagra234. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence the action his Department is taking to ensure that the budget for Reserve Defence Forces for the coming year is sufficient to ensure the continued payment of current RDF members and the increase in recruitment numbers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52891/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 223, 224, 232 and 234 together.
My key priority is the modernisation of the Defence Forces, and revitalising our Reserve Defence Forces is a vital part of that transformation process. The Regeneration and Development Plan contains concrete actions to drive forward recruitment and retention, resourcing, training and education and integration and deployment.
All eligible 2024 RDF activities were paid for, reflected in the fact that the original 2024 budget allocation for the RDF was increased by 36 per cent during the year. The original 2024 budget allocation for the RDF was proactively increased in Q4 2024 to meet evolving levels of RDF activity, with a further increase in the latter part of the year. This additional spending reflected the higher than anticipated levels of activity and a welcome increased interest in the RDF during the year.
The 2025 Vote 36 (Defence) has an allocation of €3.5 million for Subhead A.5 (Reserve Defence Force (RDF)). This represents an increase of €1.15 million (49%) on the corresponding allocation in 2024. Funding provides for paid training, miscellaneous allowances for the Army/ Naval Service Reserve and the payment of gratuities to members of the First Line Reserve. The increased 2025 expenditure emphasises my support for implementation of the RDF Regeneration and Development Plan.
The budget has grown substantially since 2019, as set out in the table below:
|
A.5 RDF |
Allocation |
|
2019 |
€2,150,000 |
|
2020 |
€1,650,000 |
|
2021 |
€2,000,000 |
|
2022 |
€2,000,000 |
|
2023 |
€2,050,000 |
|
2024 |
€2,350,000 |
|
2025 |
€3,500,000 |
In advance of next week’s Budget, discussions are currently ongoing with regard to the 2026 Defence Vote Group Estimate, with any definitive decisions relating to RDF funding due to be finalised as part of Revised Estimates Volume (REV) processes later this year.
