Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 28 April 2026
325. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Defence to provide a list of all events across every constituency attended by the Minister in the course of her ministerial duties since 1 January 2026, where formal invitations/notifications to attend were not issued by her office to all local Oireachtas members; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30612/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs Minister for Defence I undertake a wide range of official engagements across the State in the course of my duties. These engagements are scheduled and managed by the relevant officials within my department.
There is no centralised system within the Department to record whether notifications or invitations in respect of individual engagements issued to all local Oireachtas members in a given constituency. In many instances, invitations to events are issued by the host organisations rather than my department or office. Accordingly, it is not possible to compile a definitive list of events where such notifications may not have issued to all relevant representatives.
In general, where appropriate, my department seeks to notify public representatives of engagements within their constituencies, having regard to the nature of the event and the associated logistical arrangements.
Notwithstanding the above, the following is a list of official engagements attended under my role as Minister for Defence since 1 January 2026:
12th February 2026:
• Medal Award for serving members of CN COIS
25th February 2026:
• Launch of Maritime Security Strategy Sir John Rogersons's Quay
• Research Ireland Defence Innovation Prize event
5th April 2026:
• 110th Anniversary of Easter Rising O'Connell St Dublin
9th April 2026:
• Cadets Commissioning ceremony - Curragh Camp Kildare
23rd April 2026:
• The Valentia Island Symposium on Subsea Cable Security and Resilience
• Visiting Ardagh Mountain Lanehart Battery and Dept of Defence Slipway
