Mr. O'Callaghan raised the issue of cash escorts. I understand where Deputy Dennehy is coming from but this issue must be looked at again. The banks are getting off scot-free and it is not the job of the Defence Forces to spend a lot of time looking after cash escorts. Years ago, when there was much more subversive activity, the Army provided escorts in the interests of security so that these large volumes of cash would not fall into the hands of subversives. Things have changed quite a lot since the Good Friday Agreement. The political climate whereby the Government was willing to subsidise these cash movements has changed dramatically for the better. On that basis, this issue needs to be reconsidered from a political point of view.
I am very concerned about the additional costs for people who are away from base for an afternoon or a day. These people get extra allowances but their wages are not covered. Diesel was mentioned but it is not just the diesel for trucks which is the issue. I suggest to Deputy Dennehy, who referred to an escort he saw south of Kildare town, that the convoy he spoke about was taking prisoners to and from Portlaoise. It happens all day every day and we could probably look at the cost to the Defence Forces, prison authorities and the Garda Síochána. A lot of money is being spent moving people from A to B and there should be a better way of doing things.
In regard to cash escorts from the Army's point of view, I would like more information on the aeroplane that flies with these cash escorts. That aeroplane has circled over my house every Thursday morning at approximately 9.30 a.m. for the past 17 years. It travels from Dublin to Limerick, Dublin to Kerry and so on. When I moved into my house 17 years ago I did not know why it was circling overhead. This continued week after week and I realised that it had to circle to allow the convoy on the ground to catch up. The point I am making in the anecdote is that much of the time of the staff working with these convoys, including the plane, is spent on convoys. It is not sufficient to talk about paying for diesel because it is an integral part of the work. There should be full costings, not just additional incremental costs. The complement of people required in the Defence Forces is decided by taking into consideration the work which must be carried out and the number of cash escorts that must be provided. The complement of staff required, including the cash escorts, and the costs to those who are benefiting from the service, must be looked at on a full costing basis. I agree with the Chairman in this regard.
Will the figure for the Red Cross change because of the extra workload from Office of Public Works as a result of flood relief projects? Is the cost of this humanitarian work reimbursed by Office of Public Works or is it borne by the Department of Defence?
I am disappointed to read in the report that much of the military equipment and stocks have been accounted for in manual ledgers and carding systems for a number of years, which are now being computerised. Is this work on schedule for completion at the end of this year, as stated in page 328, and are civilians involved in this work? Deputy Ardagh referred to the wonderful advertisements inviting people to join the Defence Forces. I hope we are not running advertisements to keep carding systems in place in the stores stock. I hope some of the work is being done by civilians.
I am intrigued by the last sentence on page 328 relating to land and buildings which states that systems are not yet sufficiently developed to provide valuations of these properties. I am exasperated to read that there is no system in place in this regard. A good firm of auctioneers could do that work in a week. There must be a limited number of buildings and lands held by the Department. Whether the Valuation Office or a firm of valuers carry out the valuations, I cannot understand how the Department can say systems are not sufficiently developed. All one has to do is engage someone to value the property. These valuations should be carried out. I would welcome if a lot of assets with a high value - I have no hidden agenda here - could be utilised for additional purposes. I do not accept the statement that systems are not sufficiently developed. It would be more appropriate to say that no one has put a system in place. A system should be put in place to carry out valuations of lands and buildings, which would be a simple job.