Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 24 February 2026
273. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Defence is she will publish the Capability Development Programme 2028 to 2032, and also the programme to 2040; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14944/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraA key priority for me as Minister for Defence is to ensure that the current operational capability of the Defence Forces is maintained, and further developed upon. I believe it is essential in this evolving geopolitical and security environment, that Ireland enhances the capabilities of our Defence Forces and this objective will be aided by the implementation of a Capability Development Planning Process.
One of the key recommendations from the Commission on the Defence Forces was to implement a top down capability development planning process (CDPP) to bring planning for Defence Forces capabilities in line with best practice.
In early 2023 a Capability Development Unit was established in the Department. It is civil/military in terms of staffing, with military staff from across the three services of the Defence Forces, providing an overarching joint perspective to capability planning. The Unit is now well established and in the final stages producing a 12 year Capability Development Programme, that will identify, at a high level, the capability requirements for the Defence Forces out to 2040. This ongoing piece of work, once complete, will inform the prioritisation of capabilities the Defence Forces will progress in moving towards the strategic level of ambition set out in the Defence Policy Review, and the objectives as set out in the recently published Strategic Framework and Update to the Detailed Implementation Plan for the Commission on the Defence Forces. I expect the Capability Development Programme will be finalised in the first half of this 2026.
The Programme will then be implemented through rolling 4 year Capability Development Plans, the first of which will cover the period 2028 to 2032. Capabilities will then be developed and acquired in line with capital allocations under the National Development Plan. My immediate priority is progressing as quickly as we can to Level of Ambition 2, as committed to the Detailed Implementation Plan and the Programme for Government.
