I propose to take Questions Nos. 86, 87, 89 and 90 together.
I welcome the opportunity to deal with a number of matters relating to the White Paper on Defence and to inform the House of the further positive developments in the Defence Forces arising from the White Paper. I regret, however, that some of the questions continue to focus on matters relating to the White Paper process rather than on the content. Many newspaper articles concerning the White Paper on Defence have appeared in the recent past and among these I was quoted as saying that I regard these matters as closed.
The question, however, gives me a further opportunity to inform the Deputies concerned that no such departmental memorandum as that mentioned in the question exists. When I launched the first ever White Paper on Defence I made three very important points, namely, that the White Paper on Defence provided for the most significant development of the Defence Forces ever undertaken – it set out a framework for an unprecedented additional investment initiative totalling £250 million over the next decade, which will transform the Defence Forces into a world-class military organisation; that the White Paper proposed a very modest reduction in PDF strength which is necessary to develop an affordable, sustainable, world-class military organisation; and that any suggestion that the Defence Forces were not adequately consulted was completely without foundation. On the contrary, the entire thrust of the White Paper is based on the Government's acceptance of the requirement for a major programme of capital investment put forward by the military authorities as their number one priority.
As I stated when I published the White Paper on Defence, my main objective is to ensure that the State has available at all times flexible, well equipped and well trained Defence Forces, including an appropriate reserve to meet the roles laid down by Government. I am totally committed to developing the Defence Forces into a world-class military organisation, and this White Paper sets out a comprehensive programme for such development for the next decade.
Under the White Paper, the capacity of the Defence Forces will be greatly enhanced. Although the White Paper has just been launched, I have already announced the most substantial programme of investment in new equipment for the Defence Forces that has ever occurred.
The day after the White Paper was published I announced a major investment programme for the Air Corps, with £55 million being provided over three years for new aircraft. The following week I announced that agreement in principle had been reached for the purchase of a second offshore patrol vessel similar to the LE Róisín, which will cost in excess of £20 million.
During my recent visit to our UNIFIL troops in south Lebanon, I announced a multi-million pound investment programme for the Army, estimated at £25 million. I have also instructed that arrangements to recruit an additional 750 personnel to the Defence Forces be commenced immediately. A recruitment campaign will commence early next month.
In the past four weeks I have announced investment in new equipment totalling at least £100 million. This investment is in addition to the £40 million that I already set aside for the purchase of 40 armoured personnel carriers. All that represents a morale-boosting £140 million for re-equipping the Defence Forces, announced in less than six months. Can the Opposition really be serious when they criticise my performance and assert that morale in the Defence Forces is low?
Investment of this scale merely confirms what I have indicated to the House in the past few months, namely, that the White Paper represents a serious response by the Government to a sustained case advanced by the military authorities to the Taoiseach, myself and officials of my Department. The case for re-equipment was overwhelming and it has been accepted.
The Government was serious when it said it was going to develop the Defence Forces into a world-class military organisation. We have allocated the funding that this ambitious project will require. I put particular emphasis on communications and consultation, and I regard it as very important that the representative associations, RACO, PDFORRA and RDFRA, will continue to have the opportunity to make their input to the development of the Defence Forces.
I met with the representative associations immediately prior to the launch of the White Paper. As Deputies are aware, a dedicated conciliation and arbitration unit is in place in my Department and at any time consultations with the representative associations are ongoing on a whole range of issues. Meetings will take place as necessary to deal with relevant White Paper implementation matters. The representative associations can of course raise any matter of concern falling within the scope of representation at any time, and I would always encourage them to do so.
The White Paper also recognises the important role of the Naval Service in maintaining sovereignty at sea. A primary activity of the Naval Service is the implementation of European Union fishery policies. Substantial funding was provided by the EU towards the acquisition of five of the eight Naval Service vessels. The White Paper sets out proposals for the better utilisation of these assets.
For the future, the White Paper commits the Government to the maintenance of an eight ship flotilla, which is a very significant commitment within overall defence provisions. As already stated, I recently announced the decision to acquire a second offshore patrol vessel similar to the recently commissioned LE Róisín.The final text of the White Paper will be published in the very near future. As I have informed the House already, the text, agreed with the military authorities, will reflect the fully up-to-date position based on the final inputs which I obtained from the Chief of Staff, together with any necessary typographical or presentational editing. The final phase of the proof-reading and layout processes will be concluded shortly and the text will then be immediately sent to the printers.
However, due to the widespread public interest in the White Paper, I have arranged for the final text version to be placed on my Department's website where interested parties may consult it as they require.
It would be less than honest of me not to acknowledge that the final stages of preparation of the White Paper did not run as smoothly as I would have wished. Unfortunately, some commentary was less than well balanced. The resulting commotion distracted from and devalued the impact and developmental nature of the White Paper. At the time I criticised those irresponsible people who could not see the dangers of trying to drive a wedge between a Minister and a group of public servants. Undoubtedly the White Paper will present many challenges to the Defence Forces. However, substantial change and reorganisation has been successfully carried out by the Defence Forces in recent years and the Government has every confidence the Defence Forces will rise to meet the challenge of completing the necessary reform process.
The White Paper provides a unique opportunity for the Defence Forces and the future of the Army, Naval Service, Air Corps and the reserve will be fully secured. There are many challenges in the White Paper for the Defence Forces, but I have every confidence they will rise to meet the challenge of completing the reform process outlined in the White Paper.