Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 23 April 2026
306. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Defence whether the Department maintains an internal assessment of required versus actual Air Corps operational output across key mission categories; and if so, whether any gap between required and delivered output has been identified. [29318/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn relation to ensuring service delivery aligns with the specific requirements of our state partners, performance is formally governed by Service Level Agreements (SLAs) and Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) for crucial services including:
• Emergency Aeromedical Services (EAS) and inter-hospital transfers ( Department of Health)
• Maritime Patrol and fisheries protection ( Sea Fisheries Protection Agency)
• Ministerial Air Transport Service (MATS)
• Garda Air Support Unit
Comprehensive data regarding Air Corps activities is publicly available in the Department of Defence and Defence Forces Annual Report (www.gov.ie/en/department-of-defence/collections/annual-reports). In addition, performance is further evaluated through performance metrics published in the Revised Estimates on an annual basis. assets.gov.ie/static/documents/40d6f3cb/REV_2026_BOOK_06.03.26.pdf.
To bridge identified capability gaps, the Government approved the move to Level of Ambition 2 (LOA2), as set out in the capability framework devised by the Commission on the Defence Forces (CoDF) in July 2022. This move provided for a rise in the Defence budget to €1.5 billion (in 2022 prices) by 2028, ensuring the required output is supported by sustainable funding.
