Michael Bell
Question:30 Mr. Bell asked the Minister for Defence the changes, if any, his Department are considering in relation to the Air Corps wing at Gormanstown military camp; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23022/97]
Written Answers. - Air Corps and Naval Service Review.
A special study of the Air Corps and Naval Service is at present being undertaken by Price Waterhouse management consultants for the efficiency audit group. I understand that the consultants are due to furnish their report to the EAG in early January.
I do not intend to anticipate any aspect of this complex and very important report and decisions in relation to any or all aspects of the Air Corps and Naval Service will be taken only after they have been fully and carefully considered. Those decisions will be made having regard to the needs of the State and the development of both servies.
Jim Mitchell
Question:31 Mr. J. Mitchell asked the Minister for Defence whether Price Waterhouse management consultants have been requested to carry out further work on the reviews of the Air Corps and Naval Service; if so, the revised terms of reference given to the consultants; the expected date of completion of the work by the consultants; whether he will publish the completed reports; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15171/97]
Andrew Boylan
Question:56 Mr. Boylan asked the Minister for Defence whether Price Waterhouse management consultants have been requested to carry out further work on the reviews of the Air Corps and Naval Service; if so, the revised terms of reference given to the consultants; the expected date of completion of the work by the consultants; whether he will publish the completed reports; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18021/97]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 31 and 56 together.
The Defence Forces review implementation plan, 1996-98 provided for special studies to be carried out in the Air Corps and Naval Service.
In July 1996, the efficiency audit group engaged Price Waterhouse management consultants to conduct special studies into the Air Corps and the Naval Service. The consultants subsequently furnished a prelimianry draft report to the efficiency audit group. This draft report highlighted issues which required to be studied in greater detail and identified a number of new issues which required examination.
As a consequence, rather than publishing a report that merely identified problems, it was decided that the consultants should further examine these problems to produce a report that was as comprehensive as possible and which could serve as the blueprint for the development of these important services in the years ahead.
In September 1997, the efficiency audit group issued extended terms of reference to Price Waterhouse, as follows:
"(a) To determine, through consultation with the various interests involved including the Department of Finance, the current and the likely medium/longer-term extent of the State's requirements for sea and-or air support in the areas of:
(i) fishery protection;
(ii) search and rescue;
(iii) drug interdiction;
(iv) other aid to the Civil Power; and
(v) other aid to the Civil Community.
To the extent possible, to quantify such requirements by reference to historic tasking levels and-or, as appropriate, known or likely future needs and in so doing to develop minimum and maximum parameters for such requirements.
(b) To recommend the most appropriate model for the provision of such services, taking account of models for the provision of such services in comparable jurisdictions-environments, with particular emphasis on the key taskings of fishery protection, search and rescue and drug interdiction, for the purpose of developing a framework for decision making on the State's current sea and air support requirements which will enable the following options to be meaningfully considered:
(i) to have all of the State's future sea and air support requirements discharged on a multi-tasked, multi-capability basis by the Naval Service and the Air Corps, having particular regard to the implications for future staffing requirements and equipment purchase-replacement;
(ii) to contract some of the State's sea and air support requirements from the private sector and-or to resource other State agencies to discharge some of the taskings involved. The taskings to be considered under this option would be taskings in excess of those currently discharged by the Naval Service and the Air Corps with current levels of manpower and equipment (including decisions already taken);
(iii) to have any additional sea and aid requirements over the above current tasking and capability levels provided by the Naval Service and the Air Corps on a dedicated basis, that is on the basis that the additional manpower and-or equipment assets provided will be used by the Naval Service and-or the Air Corps exclusively for the specific purposes provided; and
(iv) whether the structure and equipment of the Naval Service and Air Corps in particular are appropriate to the taskings that the services currently carry out and if so whether these structures and types of equipment should be expanded-replicated in the event of additional tasks being imposed on either service.
(c) In developing the above framework for decision making, to construct a matrix which will allow all relevant factors to be taken into account, including the likely extent of future requirements by tasking, the implications for the State of the dedicated and multi-capability approaches, the factors impacting on cost and value for money, the trade-offs between costs and different modes of operations and the benefits of different approaches. The development of the matrix should also indicate the factors involved in and advice on how to treat the State's requirements for a contingent defence capability at sea and in the air as part of the total decision-making process.
(d) To carry out the foregoing work in a manner which will enable the output to be incorporated into a consolidated report which also includes the outcome of the current review of the Naval Service and Air Corps."
I understand that the consultants are due to furnish their report to the efficiency audit group in early January 1998. It is my intention to publish this report at the earliest possible juncture.