Committee of Public Accounts to examine 2022 Appropriation Accounts and Army Pensions with Department of Defence

The meeting at 9.30am in Committee Room 3 of Leinster House will also examine the Comptroller and Auditor General’s Report on the Accounts of the Public Services 2022 Chapter 12 – Stock management in the Defence Forces.

The meeting will be joined by the Comptroller and Auditor General, Mr Seamus McCarthy, and officials from the Department led by the Secretary-General and Accounting Officer, Ms Jacqui McCrum.

During the afternoon session, beginning at 1.30pm, the Committee will consider correspondence and other business of the Committee.

PAC Cathaoirleach Deputy Brian Stanley said: “The Department of Defence provides for the military defence of the State and contributes to national and international peace and security. The department also manages Defence Forces pay and Army pensions, major procurement and infrastructural programmes, and military facilities and lands.

“The Defence Vote Group is comprised of two Votes – Vote 35 (Army Pensions) and Vote 36 (Defence). In 2022, Army Pensions was allocated €278 million for payments to 13,100 military pensioners and certain dependents. The 2022 Defence account recorded gross expenditure of €836 million, comprising of €513 million in pay, €179 million in non-pay current expenditure and €144 million in capital expenditure.

“Members will also examine Chapter 12 of the C&AG’s annual report, which reviews stock management in the Defence Forces and provides for an update on the implementations of a previous review in 2014.

“Matters for examination by the Committee include staff recruitment and retention, particularly in the Naval Service and Air Corps; current spending on utilities, fuel, catering, clothing, maintenance and training; capital spending on infrastructure and procurement, including the upgrade and replacement of equipment; vehicle, aircraft and naval fleet operations, maintenance and management; the Reserve Defence Forces; health, safety and legal claims; and the refurbishment of military properties and provision of new facilities.

The Committee looks forward to examining the 2022 Defence votes and related matters with Ms McCrum and her colleagues.”

The meeting in Committee Room 3 can be viewed live on Oireachtas TV.

PAC is a standing committee of Dáil Éireann which focuses on ensuring public services are run efficiently and achieve value for money. Further information on the role and remit of the Committee can be found here.

Committee proceedings can also be viewed on the Houses of the Oireachtas Smartphone App, available for Apple and Android devices.