I move:—
That a sum not exceeding £4,742,830 be granted to complete the sum necessary to defray the Charge which will come in course of payment during the year ending on the 31st day of March, 1956, for the Defence Forces (including certain Grants-in-Aid) under the Defence Act, 1954 (No. 18 of 1954), and for certain administrative expenses in connection therewith; for certain expenses under the Offences against the State Acts, 1939 and 1940 (No. 13 of 1939 and No. 2 of 1940) and the Air-raid Precautions Acts, 1939 and 1946 (No. 21 of 1939 and No. 28 of 1946); for expenses in connection with the issue of medals, etc.; for expenses of the Bureau of Military History; and for a Grant-in-Aid of the Irish Red Cross Society (No. 32 of 1938).
In introducing this Estimate I should, perhaps, remind Deputies that a token Supplementary Estimate of £10 was taken in respect of the last financial year after the Book of Estimates for 1955-56 had been issued. That Supplementary Estimate made increased provisions for 1954-55 under certain sub-heads to which I shall refer in the course of my statement on the present Estimate.
The gross Estimate for 1955-56 is £7,319,600 and the net Estimate, after deducting Appropriations-in-Aid, is £7,114,230. This represents a decrease of £1,153,080 on the net Estimate for 1954-55, including the Supplementary Estimate to which I have referred. In making that comparison, however, it is well to remember that the previous Minister for Finance in his Budget Statement for 1954-55 indicated that it had been decided that expenditure on defensive equipment under sub-head P last year would be reduced by £800,000.
The major portion of the Estimate is accounted for by provision for the pay, allowances and maintenance of the Permanent Defence Force. This provision is spread over a number of sub-heads and totals, in round figures, £4,000,000, or about 55 per cent. of the entire gross Estimate. As in previous years the Estimate is framed on, the basis of the full peace establishment, which is 1,273 officers and 11,542 other ranks. Deductions are made in the relevant sub-heads in respect of the numbers by which the actual strength is likely to be below establishments during the year. The net effective provision caters for an average strength of 1,193 officers and 8,000 other ranks. Twenty-two cadets are to be commissioned during the year; a further 39 are in training, and 46 are to be recruited.
I should, perhaps, dwell a while on this matter of strengths. The figure of 8,000 non-commissioned officers, privates and seamen for which this Estimate in effect makes provision is not an arbitrary limit set by the Government or myself but it represents, on the best estimate I can make, what the average strength is likely to be for the year. The strength of other ranks on the 31st May last was 8,347. Normal wastage takes a considerable toll each year which is difficult to replace. A recruiting drive was launched towards the end of February, but I am bound to say, however, that the response has not been satisfactory. I would like to appeal through the House to our young men to come forward and offer their services. In doing so, they will have the satisfaction of knowing that they are serving their country in the honourable profession of arms and at the same time they will enjoy remunerative employment under satisfactory conditions. I intend to continue the effort to get an adequate flow of recruits, and further recruiting drives will be arranged during the year.
Increased, provision, has been made for the Reserve Defence Force this year—£412,802, against £378,069 last year (including £43,050 taken in the Supplementary Estimate). There is, therefore, an increase of nearly £35,000. This arises mainly on account of the F.C.A. which is showing a welcome tendency to increase its effective strength and to report in greater numbers for training. The strength of the Reserve of Men (First Line) has also increased by almost 1,000, which is corollary to, and some compensation for, the decline in the strength of the Permanent Defence Force. On the other hand, there is a slight reduction in the number of Reserve Officers (First Line).
I may next refer to sub-head P— Defensive Equipment—which is the largest individual sub-head after Pay. This sub-head shows a nominal reduction of £1,000,000 as compared with the corresponding provision last year. I say "nominal" because, as I mentioned in my opening remarks, last year's provision had, in effect, been reduced by £800,000 before the present Government took office, so that the real reduction is £200,000. The sum being provided this year—£800,000— while not as large as in the past few years, is nevertheless a substantial one. In estimating for this sub-head, I had regard to the heavy outlay on defensive equipment each year since 1951-52— some £4,500,000 all told. Substantial quantities of new weapons have been procured or are on order and much has been done towards re-equipping our Army with modern basic weapons.
A stage has been reached where we cannot close our eyes to the startling progress being made by the Great Powers in the development of nuclear weapons, guided missiles and other super-scientific instruments of destruction. It is too soon to say how armies, great and small, will adjust themselves to this situation but it is evident that military technique and strategy will undergo considerable changes in the coming years. As far as our Army is concerned, it does not seem likely that our man-power and economic and scientific resources would be adequate to sustain the employment of these enormously costly weapons even if we were willing, and it was open to us, to procure them. Nevertheless, it would seem wise to adopt a cautious attitude towards the purchase of conventional weapons of the heavier and less mobile types. This is a situation which is receiving the constant attention of the General Staff.
It is hardly necessary for me to refer to all the sub-heads of the Estimate, but I will comment briefly on those which show appreciable variations from last year's provisions.
The reduction of £99,436 in sub-head A—Pay—is due entirely to the lesser net number of non-commissioned officers and privates being provided for. The provision for officers, however, is increased by £21,369 due mainly to incremental increases in pay. The increase of £3,000 in sub-head A (1) —Military Educational Courses Abroad —is due to increased fees and charges for these courses. Sub-head B— Marriage Allowance—shows an increase of £18,000 as an increased number of personnel is expected to qualify for this allowance during the year.
Allowing for the Supplementary Estimate of £69,370 last year under sub-head C—Pay of Civilians Attached to Units—this sub-head shows a reduction of £38,019. This reduction arises mainly under engineer services—tradesmen helpers, etc. as certain fairly large works which were begun last year will be completed this year. The Supplementary Estimate also increased sub-head G—Subsistence and Other Allowances—by £9,880 to cover the payment last year of increased allowances, with arrears from April, 1952. There is, therefore, a reduction of £11,033 in this sub-head.
The reduction of £15,520 in sub-head J—Mechanical Transport—arises almost entirely on the purchase of vehicles. Appreciable numbers of new vehicles have been purchased in recent years and it is felt that expenditure this year can be reduced without seriously interfering with the efficiency of this service. The saving on vehicles is partly offset, however, by an increase of £5,000 in the provision for road tax to meet anticipated expenditure. The rather substantial reduction of £111,809 in sub-head K—Provisions and Allowances in Lieu—is due to two causes; firstly, the lesser net number of men being catered for, and, secondly, a reduction in the daily cost of the Army ration and in allowances in lieu. The reduction of £48,249 in sub-head M—Clothing and Equipment —is due partly to the lesser net number of men for which provision is made, and partly to the omission of provision for reserve stock on grounds of economy.
The increase of £27,835 in sub-head O—General Stores—is due almost entirely to the purchase of aircraft and to increased provision for aircraft maintenance. This year it is proposed to initiate purchase action in respect of three jet trainer aircraft, delivery of which will not be taken until next year. The Estimate, therefore, provides only for an advance payment on these aircraft. Provision is also included for the completion of purchase of four piston engined trainer aircraft, the order for which was placed last year for delivery in the present financial year.
The gross Estimate for civil defence as shown in sub-head P (1) is £61,451. As it is anticipated that all the equipment to be ordered may not be delivered within the year, a deduction of £20,000 has been made, leaving the net provision at £41,451. This is a reduction of £21,207 on the corresponding figure for last year and represents the total amount which, it is believed, can usefully be spent during the financial year, having regard to the present stage of developments. The principal items of equipment provided for are six rescue training sets and 11 rescue vehicles. The training sets were included in last year's Vote but were not completed during the year owing to problems of siting and technical supervision. Most of the equipment required for the initial stages of local training and which had been provided for in previous years' Estimates has now been purchased. This equipment will be issued to local authorities within the next couple of months, and it is hoped to make a beginning with civil defence training throughout the country towards the end of the year.
Training is continuing at the Civil Defence School. During the year, I intend to review and examine afresh the whole problem of civil defence, especially in the light of developments in nuclear weapons to which I alluded earlier.
In sub-head P (2)—Naval Service— there is little change as far as the pay of the personnel is concerned. The net provision for vessels, including maintenance, stores and equipment, however, shows a reduction of £30,860. The main capital items are a store and training ship for the transport of stores and for general training, and two seaward defence boats required for training personnel in harbour defence duties. These items were included in last year's Estimate, but negotiations for their purchase have been unavoidably protracted. The full cost of these three vessels may be of the order of £200,000, but provision has been made only for the sum likely to be required this year; in the case of stores and equipment, there is an increase of almost £6,000, mainly for the purchase of various types of essential training equipment.
The increase of £16,747 in sub-head R—Fuel, Light and Water in Kind and Fuel Oils—is due mainly to the fact that reserve stocks of coal which were drawn on during the past few years are now running out, and consequently increased quantities of fuel must be purchased this year.
As regards sub-head S—Barrack Maintenance and New Works—the Supplementary Estimate increased last year's provision from £179,019 to £202,759. Consequently, the net figure for this year shows a reduction of £2,759. Under the heading "Miscellaneous New Works", it is intended to undertake a variety of works, numbering about 90 in all, most of them fairly small. A new item is included in the sub-head this year: Kit and Rifle Racks—£3,650. This arises from the necessity for improving the security arrangements for rifles held in billets and stores. The provision of £1,000 as a contribution towards public road repairs relates to the road leading to the Glen of Imaal Artillery Range in County Wicklow, which is much used by Army traffic. The rather large deduction of £89,870 in respect of work not completed during the financial year is accounted for by the fact that, due to the variety and scope of the works proposed to be initiated during the year, the necessary administrative and technical preparations may not be completed in some cases until rather late in the year; consequently, only a part of the full cost of such projects will fall to be met in the present financial year.
The provision in sub-head U—Compensation—last year was increased by the Supplementary Estimate from £5,500 to £13,300, as payments were exceptionally and unexpectedly heavy. It is difficult to estimate accurately for this sub-head, but I hope that the provision of £5,500 for the present financial year will prove adequate.
The increase of £5,418 in sub-head V — Barrack Services — is required mainly in connection with improvements in men's billets and dining halls. The reduction of £5,506 in sub-head W—Insurance—arises solely from the lesser number of non-commissioned officers and privates being provided for. The full reduction under this heading is partly offset, however, by slight increases on the other services covered by the sub-head. The reduction of £16,178 in sub-head X—Incidental Expenses — arises mainly from the reduced provision for advertisements. A recruiting drive was concluded in March last, the cost of which was borne on last year's Vote. As I indicated earlier in my statement, the effort to obtain a satisfactory flow of recruits will be continued during the year.
Sub-head X (3)—Grant-in-Aid of the Irish Red Cross Society—is increased by £8,100 to help to defray the expected expenses of the society during the year. I think it is fitting that I should take this opportunity of expressing my warm appreciation of the society's activities and, in particular, the part it played in the relief of flood distress last winter. I am sure the House joins me in this expression of gratitude.
As regards sub-head Y (3)—the Reserve Defence Force—An Fórsa Cosanta Aitiúil and An Slua Muiri (Grants-in-Aid), there is a reduction of £1,000, when account is taken of the increased provision made by the Supplementary Estimate last year. The system of assessing the grants in the case of the F.C.A. was changed last year from a per capita to a battalion basis, and the results appear to have fully justified the change.
The increase of £7,697 in sub-head Y (4)—Bureau of Military History: Salaries, Wages and Allowances—is due to the employment of additional staff and increased activity in field work. The object is to speed up the bureau's work and bring it to a conclusion as soon as possible.
Appropriations-in-Aid are estimated to yield an additional sum of £28,898. This is mainly due to the sale of surplus land necessarily acquired a few years ago in connection with the construction of concrete runways at Baldonnel Aerodrome.
That concludes my survey of the Estimates for Defence. I am well satisfied with the discipline and morale of the Defence Forces and I am happy to recall the splendid efforts made by all ranks to aid the victims of the floods last winter.
