asked the Minister for Defence the amount of money received from the EEC; the amount claimed and paid by his Department for the equipment referred to in reply to parliamentary Question No. 201 of 29 April 1980; and if he will give details of the equipment purchased and its cost.
Written Answers. - Defence Forces Equipment.
847.
Claims totalling £18,863,846 out of an expenditure of £21,340,210 (inclusive of VAT) were made by my Department in respect of the period 1 January 1977 to 31 December 1980. Refunds totalling £17,971,141 were made by the EEC. A claim amounting to £83,963 has been made in respect of the year 1981.
Since 1 January 1977 three vessels of the Deirdre class — LE Emer, LE Aoife and LE Aisling— have been launched and a contract was placed on 23 April 1982 for the construction of a new design vessel with helicopter-carrying facilities, Two Beech aircraft were leased and subsequently purchased in December 1979.