The Department is engaged in an ongoing capital building programme designed to modernise and enhance the living, training, operational and accommodation facilities available to members of the Defence Forces. The programme focuses mainly on infrastructural projects comprising the construction of new buildings and the refurbishment of existing buildings. The gross capital provision for the coming year is €9.0m. The Estimates also provide for the carryover from 2011 of €500k.
Some €2.8m of the capital budget has been allocated to provide for the upgrade and replacement of existing IT hardware and associated licensing support costs. The balance of the provision, amounting to some €6.7m, has been allocated to the building programme for the Defence Forces.
I am satisfied that existing military installations, and the financial resources allocated for 2012, are adequate to meet the ongoing needs of members of the Defence Forces.