Vol. 503 No. 2
15 Mr. Neville asked the Minister for Defence the additional resources, if any, which have become available on foot of the early retirement scheme to date; the way in which these resources have been used for the Defence Forces; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9271/99]
139 Ms Fitzgerald asked the Minister for Defence the additional resources, if any, which have become available to date on foot of the early retirement scheme; the way in which these resources have been used for the Defence Forces; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9331/99]
160 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Defence the extent to which the Defence Forces has been modernised by way of utilisation of resources anticipated in the Price Waterhouse report; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9533/99]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 15, 139 and 160 together.
Commencing in 1999, there will be estimated net savings of £15 million a year arising from the voluntary early retirement scheme. It has been agreed that half of these savings, £7.5 million a year, will be made available to provide additional funding for equipment and infrastructural programmes for the Defence Forces. Over the next five years these savings will be used to fund the purchase of armoured personnel carriers.
