Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 11 Nov 1998

Vol. 496 No. 4

Written Answers. - Defence Forces Review.

Frances Fitzgerald

Question:

74 Ms Fitzgerald asked the Minister for Defence the plans, if any, he has for the replacement of aircraft for the Air Corps as outlined in a recent press statement by him; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22737/98]

Monica Barnes

Question:

88 Mrs. Barnes asked the Minister for Defence the future plans, if any, he has for the development of the Air Corps. [22724/98]

Proinsias De Rossa

Question:

97 Proinsias De Rossa asked the Minister for Defence the number of occasions on which the implementation group on the Price Waterhouse review has met; when it will complete its work; the membership of the group; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22855/98]

Louis J. Belton

Question:

99 Mr. Belton asked the Minister for Defence if the first meeting of the implementation group for the Price Waterhouse review of the Navy and Air Corps has met; and if he will make a statement on the action plan for the development of this service. [22726/98]

Bernard J. Durkan

Question:

106 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Defence the plans, if any, he has for the upgrading and development of the Army, Air Corps and Navy; when he will upgrade the facilities available to the forces in line with those now available in other EU countries; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22846/98]

Seán Ryan

Question:

128 Mr. S. Ryan asked the Minister for Defence if the implementation group arising from Price Waterhouse report on the Navy and Air Corps has considered the recommendation of that report that Naval Service Headquarters be relocated to Haulbowline, County Cork; if so, the outcome of these deliberations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22977/98]

Frances Fitzgerald

Question:

143 Ms Fitzgerald asked the Minister for Defence the plans, if any, he has for the replacement of aircraft for the Air Corps as outlined in a recent press statement; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22761/98]

Frances Fitzgerald

Question:

171 Ms Fitzgerald asked the Minister for Defence the reason for the delay in holding the first meeting of the implementation group to implement the Price Waterhouse review of the Navy and Air Corps. [23161/98]

Minister for Defence (Mr. M. Smith)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 74, 88, 97, 99, 106, 116, 128, 143 and 171 together.

Having considered the report of Price Waterhouse management consultants on the review of the Air Corps and the Naval Service, the Government decided that the future development of the Air Corps and the Naval Service critically depends on the input of all of the relevant stakeholders. Given the cross-departmental nature of the State's air and sea requirements, key stakeholders include the Minister for Finance and the Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources as well as the Department of the Taoiseach and my own Department.

As Minister for Defence, I am responsible for the development of the Air Corps and the Naval Service and I will ensure that the civil and military branches of my Department do what the Government requires of them in putting together the necessary plans to give effect to the Government's decision on the recommendations made by Price Waterhouse.

There are two broad dimensions to this work. First, there is the need to address the military capability requirements to be comprehended within the White Paper on Defence which were not dealt with in the consultants' report. Second, there is a range of effectiveness and efficiency recommendations for implementation in order to ensure that the taxpayer obtains the best air and sea services possible. It will, in the final analysis, be the task of the General Office Commanding, Air Corps and the Flag Officer Commanding Naval Service to present plans for my consideration to address all of these matters.

In this regard, I have recently instructed the Chief of Staff to initiate, in conjunction with the General Officer Commanding Air Corps and the Flag Officer Commanding the Naval Service, the necessary process to address these matters. It is my aim to ensure that plans for the effectiveness and efficiency measures can be finalised early in the new year. Detailed issues, including the future equipping of the Air Corps and the Naval Service and the location of the headquarters of both services, will be considered within these plans.

My colleagues in Government are participating in the consultation group which was set up to provide a forum for external stakeholders to make their input to the planning process with a view to ensuring that both services are meeting the needs of these clients. The group is made up of senior civil and military officers, including the General Officer Commanding the Air Corps and the Flag Officer Commanding the Naval Service and is tasked with making relevant inputs to the planning process leading to the finalisation of implementation plans to give effect to the Government's decision as outlined already. I am chairing this group which recently held its first meeting.

The re-equipping and reorganisation of the Army has already been addressed under the Defence Forces Review Implementation Plan 1996-8, and its ongoing development will be addressed further in the White Paper process.