I move—
That a sum not exceeding £4,688,950 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, 1957, 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, &c.; for Expenses of the Bureau of Military History; and for a Grant-in-Aid of the Irish Red Cross Society (No. 32 of 1938).
The gross Estimate for 1956-57 is £7,263,450 and the net Estimate, after deducting Appropriations-in-Aid, is £7,033,450. This represents a decrease of £217,210 on the net Estimate for 1955-56. In making that comparison, it should be noted that last year's figure includes a sum of £136,430 transferred from the Vote for Remuneration to meet increases in the pay of Army personnel and of the civil staff of the Department of Defence. These increases, which became effective from the 1st November last, will cost in the current year about £330,000.
The major portion of the Estimate is devoted to the pay, allowances and maintenance of the personnel of the permanent Defence Force. Provision for these services is spread over a number of sub-heads and amounts to about £4,300,000 or roughly 60 per cent. of the gross Estimate.
As in previous years, the Estimate, as far as the permanent Defence Force is concerned, is framed on the basis of the full peace establishment, that is, 1,273 officers and 11,542 non-commissioned officers, privates and seamen. Deductions are made in the relevant sub-heads in respect of the numbers by which the actual strength for the year is likely to be below the establishment. The net provisions cater for an average strength of 1,206 officers and 8,000 other ranks. In addition, provision is made for 67 cadets in training, of whom 24 are expected to be commissioned during the year, and also for 39 new cadets to be appointed.
The figure of 8,000 non-commissioned officers, privates and seamen for which this Estimate in effect makes provision is the same as in last year's Estimate. Recruiting was continued during the past year, aided by special recruiting drives. While the intake of recruits was approximately the same as in 1954-55, it was not sufficient to replace the wastage. The strength of other ranks as on 31st March, 1956, stood at 7,554. The efforts to obtain a sufficient and steady flow of recruits, not alone to replace the wastage but to build up the strength as much as possible, will be continued energetically during the present year. I would like to take this opportunity to ask Deputies to join with me in these efforts and to use their influence whenever and wherever they can to get our young men to offer their services. The Army now provides attractive careers, and even for the young man who does not intend to follow a military career, a few years with the Colours will prove a very sound and remunerative start in life. If our efforts in this direction are as successful as I hope they will be, I shall have no hesitation in asking the House to vote more money by way of a Supplementary Estimate.
The Reserve Defence Force has well maintained its strength and activity. There is an increase of 500 in the Reserve of Men (First Line), and it is particularly gratifying to note that the attendance of the F.C.A. at training during the first three months of the current training year, which commenced on the 1st January, has exceeded expectations.
Looking at the individual sub-heads, only a few of them show appreciable increases from last year, and I propose to comment briefly on those. The increase of £111,252 in sub-head A— Pay of Officers, Cadets, N.C.O.s and Privates—is due to the pay increases to which I referred earlier. The increase of £54,444 in sub-head M— Clothing and Equipment—is attributable to the replacement of certain stocks of cloth and uniforms which, due to difficulties surrounding the production of a better quality cloth and slow initial deliveries by the mills, had necessarily to be used to meet current requirements. A provision of £80,000 is made in the sub-head for this purpose. Increased expenditure on the purchase of aircraft accounts for the increase of £58,378 on sub-head O — General Stores.
The principal decrease is in sub-head P—Defensive Equipment—and amounts to £378,000 odd. It is felt possible to reduce the expenditure under this sub-head on account of the substantial quantities of modern equipment purchased during the past four or five years.
It may be helpful to Deputies if I now refer briefly to some of the more important activities and developments in our Defence Forces.
The training of the permanent Defence Force is aimed at achieving and maintaining the highest possible level of efficiency in all components. In the case of officers and non-commissioned officers, special emphasis is given to training in leadership.
Intensive courses for officers are held at the Military College, refreshing and keeping up-to-date all aspects of their training and concentrating especially on the more advanced features of military science. Last year, in addition to these senior courses, it was found possible to introduce modified courses so that a greater number of officers could have the benefit of up-to-date training.
As has been the practice for many years, a number of selected officers were sent on courses abroad and it is hoped to do likewise this year. At the kind invitation of the Swiss Government, a mission from our Army visited the Swiss Army manoeuvres and training schools last year.
Training of the F.C.A. is carried out on the lines considered best suited to the circumstances of that force. Members are encouraged to attend for periods of full-time training, and last year some 500 officers and 1,500 non-commissioned officers availed themselves of these facilities. This was considered a very satisfactory response. Other new features of F.C.A. training are: Short special courses for potential non-commissioned officers, and combined training of F.C.A. personnel and regular troops in some areas.
Generally, a more active part is being taken by the officers of the F.C.A. in the training and administration of their units.
With regard to the Air Corps, a contract was placed last year for the supply of three jet-engined training aircraft, delivery of which is expected about June next. These are of a type that has been well proved in other air forces. The concrete runways necessary for their operation have been completed at Baldonnel. It is expected that the entire runways project, including the ancillary engineering works, will be completed by the end of the year. The cost is being met from the Vote for Public Works and Buildings. It is intended during this year to order four piston-engined training aircraft, for delivery next year. The Air Corps already has some planes of this type and they have proved very satisfactory for the elementary and intermediate stages of training. The scheme for the training of short-term pilots which was embarked on a few years ago, in conjunction with Aer Lingus, for the joint purpose of building of a reserve of Air Corps pilots and providing crews for the civil air line, is proceeding satisfactorily. Recently, five of these pilots were given employment by Aer Lingus.
Substantial provision is again made for the improvement of quarters, living accommodation and amenities for the troops. Last year I had the pleasure of opening a scheme of 88 new houses for non-commissioned officers and privates at Blackhorse Avenue, Dublin, which my predecessor had initiated. More recently, a fine new billet block, which will provide first-class accommodation for about 200 men, was completed at Custume Barracks, Athlone. This year among a large variety of smaller works, we are building 30 houses at the Curragh Training Camp, and ten houses at Athlone.
A small garrison church, to replace the hut at present in use for the purpose, is being built at McKee Barracks, Dublin. I am glad to say that all the buildings to which I have referred were or are being constructed under the supervision of the Corps of Engineers. In the Curragh Training Camp, where there has not been a proper garrison church since the old structure became dangerous and had to be pulled down some years ago, a new church is also being erected.
The results achieved by the Army Equitation team last year were considered to be very satisfactory. The team attended eight international shows. Two nations' cups—at Harrisburg and Toronto—were won, as well as seven important individual events at Nice, Rotterdam, Harrisburg, New York, Toronto and Dublin. Twenty-six provincial shows were attended during the year.
All young officers, on leaving the military college and before being assigned to units, are now required to undergo an equitation course. They are thus given an introduction to this stimulating form of exercise, and at the same time it will be possible to discover officers who have a particular talent for horsemanship.
The whole problem of civil defence is at present under review in the light of developments in nuclear weapons. Tremendous problems have been revealed as a result of this review and it is now evident that the old concept of civil defence will have to be radically altered. For that reason, therefore, together with other difficulties which I hope soon to overcome, it was found impracticable to proceed with local recruitment and training which had been forecasted in my speech last year. All these problems are being urgently examined at present.
That concludes my statement on the Estimate for Defence. If there are any points on which Deputies require further information, I shall endeavour to supply it when I come to reply to the debate.