Billy Timmins
Question:12 Mr. Timmins asked the Minister for Defence the plans, if any, he has to purchase new equipment in 1998; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23244/97]
Priority Questions. - Defence Forces Equipment.
Provision in the region of £70 million has been made in my Department's Estimates for 1998 for the procurement of a broad range of equipment, ancillaries and spares for the Army, Air Corps and Naval Service. Approximately £10 million has been allocated to defensive equipment to provide for such items as the replenishment of ammunition stocks, the delivery of refurbished 105 mm light artillery weapons to replace obsolete 25 pounder guns, the delivery of the first instalment of new turrets and fire directing systems for armoured vehicles, etc.
The provision for military transport generally will also be about £10 million. Some of the more important items to be purchased in this area will be new troop-carrying vehicles such as 3-4 tonne trucks, four wheel drive trucks, minibuses, etc., forming part of ongoing programmes to modernise the transport fleet.
As regards the Naval Service, a large part of a £16 million provision for 1998 will be taken up by stage payments on the new fishery protection patrol vessel and by the refurbishment of existing vessels such as the LE Aisling, due to be completed in January 1998, and the LE Eithne due to commence around May 1998. About £10.5 million will be available to the Air Corps and will be spent on keeping the aircraft fleet fully maintained and the aerodrome operational.
The substantial balance of the £70 million provision will be shared by areas such as communications, including completion of the ongoing VHF radio replacement programme; clothing, barrack and engineering equipment; and information technology procurement.
I am particularly satisfied that the level of funding which I have outlined has been secured to enable a number of special procurement and refurbishment programmes to be put in place as part of the modernisation of Defence Forces equipment.
I thank the Minister for his reply. My area of concern is that in the Action Programme for the Millennium the Government stated that it would equip the Defence Forces adequately for an expanded role in international peacekeeping. Peacekeeping missions in this day and age have moved on and they require a mechanised capability. Our Army does not have such capability.
I believe a project team was established comprising civilian and military personnel to identify the most suitable type of armoured personnel carrier. The Minister in his reply, as far as I can ascertain, did not mention anything about the purchase of new APCs. Has the project team made recommendations? If not, when does the Minister expect them? Will he allocate some money for the purchase of APCs?
An extensive tendering and evaluation process will take place in 1998. I regret that the Deputy may feel I did not give attention to it, but it was because the question related to the estimate for the general area and that does not include provision for APCs in 1998.
I would expect, however, towards the end of 1998 — not involving expenditure in 1998 but involving significant expenditure in 1999 — to place the first order for APCs as agreed by the expert group and through the normal processes early in 1999 if not by the end of 1998. I accept that they are required.
As the time for Priority Questions has now concluded, Questions Nos. 13 and 14 may be taken in ordinary time.