Léim ar aghaidh chuig an bpríomhábhar
Gnáthamharc

Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 1 Oct 1998

Vol. 494 No. 3

Other Questions. - EU Funding.

Jim Higgins

Ceist:

7 Mr. Higgins (Mayo) asked the Minister for Defence the financial supports he expects to become available from the EU for defence expenditure for 1998 to 2000; and if he will make a statement on recent reports that the Department had failed to draw down funding. [17933/98]

Jim Higgins

Ceist:

38 Mr. Higgins (Mayo) asked the Minister for Defence the financial supports he expects to become available from the EU for defence expenditure for 1998 to 2000; and if he will make a statement on recent reports that the Department had failed to draw down funding. [17932/98]

Frances Fitzgerald

Ceist:

168 Ms Fitzgerald asked the Minister for Defence the financial supports he expects to become available from the EU for defence expenditure for 1998 to 2000; and if he will make a statement on recent reports that the Department had failed to draw down funding. [18117/98]

I propose to take Questions Nos. 7, 38 and 168 together. It is expected that EU funding totaling £26.5 million in respect of fishery protection will be made available from 1998 — 2000 inclusive. Of this amount £7.9 million relates to 1998, £10.4 million to 1999 and £8.2 million to 2000. In addition, EU funding for the national civil defence exercise in 1999 is being pursued with the European Commission and a decision is awaited.

A number of equipment projects included in the overall fishery protection programme 1996 — 2000 had to be assessed from a technical and financial point of view. Expenditure on these projects had to be deferred as this assessment took time. Consequently, the EU funding drawn down to date has been less than originally contemplated. However, a number of the deferred projects have been included in the final three years of the programme and subject to these projects meeting appropriate technical and financial requirements final expenditure under this aspect of the programme may be in line with that originally planned.

The most significant project covered is the supply of a new fishery protection vessel, due for delivery in September 1999. EU assistance in support of this project is £5.3 million, which represents 65 per cent of funding. The programme agreed by the EU in 1995 also provided for the refund of additional operational costs incurred by Ireland between 1996 and 2000. However, as progress on recruiting personnel for the Naval Service has been slower than expected the full amount available under this heading may not be drawn down.

Has the Minister any intention of including further requests for funding under these headings in the Government's submission for the next EU funding period from 2000 onwards? Is funding available for any of these activities under the Partnership for Peace programme?

The plan for the draw down of the next tranche of funds is being developed, but we expect there will be a sharp reduction in the total amount that will be made available to this country. It will be up to me on my side of the fence to ensure that the provision for these areas is maintained at the highest possible level. We expect the level of expenditure required to equip and modernise our vessels and for the purchase of others in the future will continue to be significant. I hope we will be able to purchase a new vessel every four to five years to reinforce our patrol capacity, but the Deputy, who was former Minister, will appreciate these are early days and battles have to be fought to secure funds. The problems we face in drug interdiction, fishery surveillance, monitoring and with regard to other responsibilities will require an ongoing level of expenditure from EU or domestic sources, which will have to be maintained.

Given that the patrol of our seas is under resourced, is the Minister considering an option of acquiring a second ship, which could be taken out under the contract for the new ship? Will he confirm if the issue of crewing levels has been resolved?

Regarding the Deputy's second question, that will fall within the remit of the implementation plan that will be developed. Part of the Price Waterhouse report deals with efficiencies and we will have to examine alternative arrangements in other similar type countries. However, we have a multi-tasking arrangement and, therefore, it is not possible to make comparisons with efficiencies that are possible in other countries. That multi-tasking arrangement will continue to be the policy for the future and it may not be possible to secure significant reductions in this area.

I hope we will be able to purchase a new ship every four to five years so that we will not face the problems we now have where too many patrol vessels are nearing the end of their lifespan and their replacement requires massive resources. It is much better to purchase vessels on a staggered basis. Having regard to competing demands for resources, it will not be possible to secure anything like the type of resources that some people expect will be made available for this area. However, our fleet will have to be maintained and new vessels purchased and I will do the best I can in that regard.

As I understand it, the Minister has spoken only of surface vessels. Does he have any plans to reinforce the capacity of the Air Corps to contribute to these operations?

I do not want to avoid answering the question, but the findings in the Price Waterhouse report reveal the level of finances that would be required for the purchase of new aircraft over a span of ten years and 18 years. I had preliminary discussions on this matter, but it will have to be addressed having regard to the prevailing budgetary circumstances. As in the case of the Navy, some aircraft are nearing the end of their lifespan. I will have to work within the context of the implementation plan to see what additional resources will become available that can be used to improve and enhance our overall capacity. However, we have a significant number of aircraft that are nearing the end of their lifespan.

Barr
Roinn