Cormac Devlin
Ceist:134. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Defence her plans for capability development in support of increased maritime security; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33112/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraThursday, 7 May 2026
Ceisteanna (134)
Freagraí scríofa
A 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. In the context of an evolving geopolitical and security environment, it is essential that Ireland continues to enhance the capabilities of its Defence Forces, including those required to safeguard our maritime domain. This objective is being supported through the implementation of a Capability Development Planning Process.
As Minister I published Ireland's first National Maritime Security Strategy in February this year setting out a 5 year roadmap (2026 -2030) to protect the State's maritime domain, safeguard critical infrastructure and strengthen national security.
The new strategy supports the protection of a secure and sovereign Ireland, where our people and interests are protected, and where our European and international partners can rely on us to uphold the rule of law in the maritime domain. It also affirms that maritime security is a whole of government responsibility and requires support from industry, academia, the public and international partners.
The strategy has an accompanying action plan to ensure delivery of this new whole-of-government approach to protecting the security of our maritime domain, in cooperation with international partners and the private sector, and in accordance with our international legal rights and obligations. Defence of our maritime domain is a strategic objective in the National Maritime Security Strategy action plan, with capability development central to this.
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 within the Strategic Change and Capability Development Division. 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, including maritime capabilities.
The Unit is now well established and in the final stages of the upstream phase, the key output of which is a 12 year Capability Development Programme, that will identify, at a high level, the capability requirements for the Defence Forces out to 2040. This programme will inform future decisions on the prioritisation and development of capabilities, including those in the maritime domain, in support of the strategic Level of Ambition 2 set out in the Defence Policy Review, the Maritime Security Strategy and the objectives outlined in the Strategic Framework and the updated Detailed Implementation Plan for the Commission on the Defence Forces. I expect this Programme to be finalised later in 2026.
Once finalised, the Programme will be implemented through rolling four-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 available capital allocations under the National Development Plan. This structured and phased approach will guide future investment decisions, including in relation to naval vessels, equipment and enabling systems, as part of the overall development of Defence Forces capability.
One of the key ongoing projects underway that will contribute to maritime security relates to subsea domain awareness. A programme of work has been approved as part of the overall Equipment Development Plan. Investment in sonar capability is the first project within that new programme which will see the Naval Service acquire sonar capability which will be used to detect objects near cables and pipelines in Irish territorial waters and the EEZ. This new acquisition will enhance awareness below the surface, contributing to the overall maritime picture available to Naval Service and the wider Defence Forces. This is a complex project and a new capability, so work in training personnel and establishing the procedures and structures required within the Defence Forces has commenced, and will continue in the period up to the delivery in 2027.
Work has also commenced on Sonobuoys a second project within that subsea programme. This project will result in a new Air Corps capability which can be used to detect, localise, identify, and track objects in the Irish EEZ. This capability will be used in conjunction with the new towed sonar capability planned for delivery in 2027, and also with existing Air Corps assets.
In addition to the development of new capabilities, the Defence Forces routinely monitor foreign vessels with both Naval Service assets and Air Corps maritime patrol aircraft, as well as remote monitoring on a 24/7 basis from the Naval Operations Command Centre in Haulbowline.
The Air Corps Maritime Patrol Squadron carries out aerial monitoring of the Irish EEZ. Two C295 maritime patrol aircraft equipped with state-of-the-art surveillance and communication equipment were delivered to the Air Corps in 2023 to replace the CASA CN235 aircraft. These aircraft considerably upgrade our surveillance capabilities.