Tairgim:
Go ndeonófar suim fhorlíontach nach mó ná £10 chun íoctha an mhuirir a thiocfaidh chun bheith iníoctha i rith na bliana dar críoch an 31ú lá de Mhárta, 1970, le haghaidh tuarastail agus costais Oifig an Aire Cosanta, lena n-áirítear seirbhísí áirithe atá faoi riaradh na hOifige sin; le haghaidh pá agus costais Óglaigh na hÉireann; agus chun deontas-i-gcabhair a íoc.
Meastachán "Chomharthacha" é seo agus séard is cúis leis ná chun seans a thabhairt do Theachtaí riaradh cosanta a phlé. Mar is eol don Teach, ritheadh an Meastachán bunaigh gan diospóireacht roimh Nollaig. Le déanaí bhí Meactachán forlíontach ós comhair an Tí nuair a bhí diospóireacht cuíosach forleathan againn.
Is minic a deintear gearán gur ábhar gan áird é sa Teach seo an Cosaint. Sé seo an tarna ócáid i dtréimhse gairid, áfach, ina bhfuil an Cosaint mar ábhar diospóireachta againn agus beidh mé ag súil le tuairimína dTeachtaí ina taobh.
Tá fhíos ag Teachtaí agus ag an pobal i gcoitinne go bhfuil greasacht earcaíochta ar siúl i láthair na huaire. Ní h-aon diobháil d'aon fhear óg seal a chaitheamh san Airm agus de réir gach dealraimh, bhainfeadh sé taithneamh ar saol an Airm. Mar adúras cheana maidir leis an greasacht earcaíochta, ba cheart do fir óga na Gaeltachta smaineamh ar thréimhse a chaitheamh í seirbhís a dtíre féin in ionad bheith ag lorg oibre thar lear. Tá aonad Airm speisialta ann le h-aghaidh Gaelgeóirí, sé sin an Chead Chathlán Coisithe i nDún Uí Mhaoilíosa i nGaillimh. Tá folúntaisí san aonad sin fós agus molaim do fir óga na Gaeltachta na foluntaisí sin a líonadh i dtreo is go mbeidh an Chead Cathlán ina neart iomlán aris gan mhoill.
The purpose of this "Token" Estimate is to give the House an opportunity of discussing the main Estimate for Defence for 1969-70 which was passed without debate last November. That Estimate provided for the expenditure of £12,852,000. Recently a Supplementary Estimate for £1,644,000 was passed. The discussion on the Supplementary Estimate ranged fairly widely, so I do not propose to take up the time of the House by going over ground that has already been covered.
The original Estimate was based on an average permanent Defence Force strength of 1,154 officers, 73 cadets and 7,100 NCOs and privates for the year. In the early part of the year it became clear that the figure for men could not be realised without the aid of an intensive recruiting drive. The drive started in September and I am happy to say that it has been very successful. Between the 1st September and the 14th of this month, 1,456 men applied to join and 970 were accepted. The other ranks strength at the end of February was 7,364.
Recruiting goes on all the year round and I would ask Deputies to do all they can to encourage young men to offer their services. I think they would find a few years in the Army a rewarding experience in every way. Of course, if they wished, they could make it their career. There are also opportunities of appointment to commissioned rank. An age concession is given to serving personnel who wish to compete in the annual cadetship competition and a proportion of the vacancies is specially reserved for them.
I might mention also that 31 non-commissioned officers are currently undergoing a potential officers' course of about one year's duration to prepare them for appointment to commissioned rank. Last year, too, a scheme was introduced under which men of the permanent Defence Force were given an opportunity of attending courses of one year's duration at vocational schools with a view to obtaining the day group certificate. The purpose is to raise the educational standard of the men. This would benefit not alone the Army but would be an asset to the men themselves when they return to civilian life. A total of 159 men commenced classes in September and further courses will be arranged in future years. Attendance is on a voluntary basis and the cost is being borne on the Vote for Defence.
A number of Army personnel aged between 44 and 52 years mainly from the 1st (Irish Speaking) Battalion are attending courses of training in such skills as turning, grinding, milling and welding, at the Galway Industrial Training Centre which is under the control of AnCO. This is a pilot scheme the purpose of which is to assist in the resettlement of the men in civilian occupations and to provide operatives for industry.
The apprentice schemes at Naas and Baldonnel continue to be operated. Steps are being taken in consultation with AnCO to ensure that high standards of training will be maintained and that the technicians turned out by the Army apprentice schools will be second to none.
A significant step was taken during the year regarding the training of cadets. Following consideration of the recommendation of the Commission on Higher Education that the training of military cadets should be associated with university studies, I decided in August last that appropriately qualified members of the cadet class appointed in 1968 should be given the opportunity of pursuing university studies at University College, Galway. A total of 14 cadets commenced courses in Arts, Commerce, Science or Engineering in October last. Subject to their passing the normal military tests, these will be appointed to commissioned rank next autumn and thereafter may continue their university studies and obtain a degree.
It is intended that appropriately qualified members of the cadet class appointed in 1969 will be given the opportunity to commence similar studies in October of this year. From this year onwards it is proposed that the educational qualifications for cadets will be the matriculation standard of the National University of Ireland.
The question of new vessels for the Naval Service has been very much in the news. The types of vessels to be acquired must be chosen with great care and judgment as they will involve an outlay of some few million pounds. It is necessary to bear in mind that the Naval Service is not merely a fishery protection service; it must also be trained and equipped for naval tasks.
As already announced, the Government have authorised the acquisition of two vessels, one to be a naval ship which would have a fishery protection potential and the other to be primarily a fishery protection vessel suited to conditions off our coasts. Priority has been given to the naval ship because of its potential for both fishery protection and naval training but difficulty has been experienced in locating a type of vessel, already proven in service, which would conform to the rather special specifications demanded by conditions off our coasts. Investigations regarding both types of vessels are being pushed ahead as quickly as possible.
As regards the fishery protection vessel, we have narrowed down our search to a particular type and Irish Shipping Limited have been appointed to act as the Department's consultants. Already the company have issued an inquiry to a large number of shipbuilders as to whether they would be interested in tendering for the construction of a fishery protection vessel, an outline specification of which was supplied. The outcome of these inquiries is expected very soon. Thereafter the aim will be to invite tenders at the earliest possible date.
The possibility of using small fast patrol boats has been considered. These might have a limited use in local areas in favourable weather conditions but would not provide an adequate fishery protection service under the conditions experienced off our coasts. Adequate protection requires the use of larger vessels of the type we are seeking.
In the past two years £47,000 has been spent on the purchase of horses for the Equitation School. In the 1969 season, all-Army teams competed at Ludwigsburg, Wiesbaden, Vienna, Ostend, Rotterdam, Amsterdam, Brussels and Geneva; and Army riders and horses participated in the Irish teams at the London and Dublin shows. Placing included five firsts, six seconds and 13 thirds. I hope that this marks the beginning of a new and successful phase in the school's history.
Six officer cadets from the Republic of Zambia who were undergoing training in the Military College were joined, in February, 1969, by six Zambia Army officers for an infantry course of five months duration. These officers and cadets successfully completed their training last summer and returned to Zambia. A second class of seven Zambian cadets commenced training at the Military College last October. The costs of running these courses are met by the Government of Zambia.
Helicopters were provided on 41 occasions in response to requests from local authorities for use in an ambulance role in 1969, while on 22 occasions the helicopter services were called on for search and rescue missions.
Six new married quarters have been completed in Limerick. They were built by Army engineer personnel using the most modern building techniques. The improvement of barrack accommodation generally is given a high priority and in recent years considerable progress has been made.
A start has been made in issuing modern combat dress to our troops. This dress, which is already on issue to Irish troops serving with the United Nations Force in Cyprus, is an integrated multi-purpose uniform capable of being adjusted to all climatic conditions. It has now been adopted by practically all modern armies. The ordinary uniforms will continue to be issued for duties which do not necessitate the wearing of combat dress.
Civil Defence did not come within the ambit of the recent Supplementary Estimate and I take this opportunity of making a brief reference to that organisation. The training activities of the Civil Defence organisation were maintained at a satisfactory level during the year. Progress continues to be made in the establishment of control centres from which civil defence operations would be directed and co-ordinated in a national emergency. Generally, there is a growing capability in this area of national defence. Our thanks are due to the members of the organisation for their voluntary unpaid service, and I recall particularly the assistance that they and members of other voluntary organisations rendered in connection with the reception of refugees last year.
During the debate on the Supplementary Estimate, the role of the Defence Forces and their position in our community life were mentioned. Stated simply, the primary role of the Defence Forces is to defend the State against external aggression. As a corollary their main business in peacetime is to prepare themselves to fulfil that role. Apart from this, their most important peacetime role is, perhaps, that of aiding the civil power. In practice, this means assisting the Garda Síochána and at present involves giving assistance at the request of the Garda in the protection of installations of national importance. This role could also take the form of assisting the Garda Síochána, at their request, in the maintenance or restoration of the public peace.
The suggestion was made that the Defence Forces should be more closely integrated in our society. I do not think that there is a real problem here. The personnel of the forces are drawn from and are representative of all sections of our community and they do not become isolated from the community on becoming members of the forces. Many of the peace-time activities of the forces at the official level impinge directly on the community and at the unofficial level, too, I think it is the experience of Deputies that Army personnel are always willing to lend their support and assistance to a wide variety of social activities. All in all, the Defence Forces make a considerable contribution to the common good and any assignment which is given to them is carried out competently and efficiently.
As I said at the outset, the discussion on the Supplementary Estimate ranged fairly widely. The debate now starting gives the House a fuller opportunity of discussing this very important service. If there are any matters of interest to Deputies that I have not touched on, I shall be happy to do so in my reply to the debate.
