Bertie Ahern
Question:2 Mr. B. Ahern asked the Taoiseach whether the steering group commissioned by his Department has reported to the Government on the efficiency audit group review of the Air Corps and Naval Service. [7511/97]
Ceisteanna — Questions. - Air Corps and Naval Service.
The steering group has not yet reported to Government. It is expected to report in the near future.
What are the terms of reference of the steering group and what precisely is it examining?
The Defence Forces review implementation plan approved by Government on 5 March 1996 set out to undertake an additional study to review the existing operations of the Naval Service and Air Corps and to make recommendations to ensure the optimum use of resources to fulfil the role set down by Government. In May 1996 the steering group was established to oversee the review. In June 1996 Price Waterhouse was appointed as consultants to carry out the review. It was expected the review would be completed by November 1996.
The original terms of reference envisaged that the consultants would recommend numbers and grades required to deliver on the existing roles and tasks. A draft report has been prepared on the basis of those roles. As the study has progressed, however, it has become clear that from a Government perspective further consideration of future arrangements for providing services such as search and rescue and fishery protection would be necessary to allow long-term strategic decisions to be taken on those issues. The consultants are being asked to consider the issues and their report is expected before the end of summer 1997.
Related issues emerged in the course of the investigation and, instead of dealing with those by way of further investigation and a further report, there was an onus to undertake the investigation immediately so that the report would be as comprehensive as possible.
The terms of reference include the appropriate numbers and grading of personnel to carry out tasks assigned; a most effective management structure, taking particular account of the overall organisation of the Permanent Defence Forces and the need for close liaison with public and private sector organisations; appropriate systems of financial control, delegation and accountability; the optimum procurement and maintenance systems including store stock ordering; opportunities for civilianisation and-or contracting out; the development of appropriate operational cost benefit matrices and performance indicators for the medium or longer term.
Specific to the Naval Service the consultants were asked to make recommendations on the required balance of resources as ship and shore operations demand and activities to maximise the availability of sea-going personnel to optimise sea time for service vessels. In regard to the Air Corps the consultants were asked to make recommendations on the following issues: the role and necessity for each element of the Air Corps fleet, together with the number, composition and deployment of associated personnel, and the training strategy and facilities necessary to meet requirements, in particular the extent to which aspects in regard to training should be undertaken by outside agencies.
I thank the Minister for his reply. Will he agree the report to examine the adaptations for the Defence Forces in the future has been put on the back burner by the Government? Will he accept the delay is to avoid bringing out the report before the general election? I understand it has been ready, or at least almost complete, for some time. While a constitutional review group reported in six months, a report of this nature, which was obvious from the outset and which could have been published in three months, has taken more than 12 months. Will the Minister agree that creates great problems in terms of morale for the Air Corps, in that people may want to be released and there is uncertainty about their future, and for the Naval Service? Since we will not see the report before the election, will he ensure that the personnel difficulties in the Naval Service and the Air Corps are addressed?
On the Deputy's reference to the election, the Government has seven months to run. There is no indication that the delay in producing the report affects morale in the Naval Service or the Air Corps.
The Minister should talk to the people involved.
As the Deputy is aware from his experience in Government, very often in the course of investigations and reviews various issues are unearthed which lead to the need for further investigation. In the course of the Price Waterhouse investigation, other issues were unearthed and these are being examined in detail. It is anticipated the final report will be available at the very latest before the end of the summer and, I am confident, well in advance of the next general election.