Bernard Allen
Question:52 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Defence the amount of money which became available for reinvestment in the Defence Forces due to the voluntary early retirement scheme. [20580/99]
Written Answers. - Defence Forces Retirement Scheme.
Frances Fitzgerald
Question:151 Ms Fitzgerald asked the Minister for Defence the amount of money available for reinvestment in the Defence Forces due to the voluntary early retirement scheme. [20549/99]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 52 and 151 together.
Commencing in 1999, there are net savings of about £15 million a year arising from the voluntary early retirement scheme. It has been agreed that half of these savings will be made available to provide additional funding for equipment and infrastructural programmes for the Defence Forces. In that regard an additional sum of £7.5 million was provided under subhead G – Defensive Equipment – of this year's Defence Vote.