I welcome the opportunity afforded me by the Seanad to clarify the present position regarding the review of the Defence Forces. It enables me to deal again with issues which have given rise to misconceptions surrounding the efficiency audit group process.
The Government has embarked on a major reform of the Defence Forces aimed at increasing efficiency and streamlining structures and organisation. The efficiency audit group has conducted that review on behalf of the Government. The EAG was established to examine the workings and practices of each Department with a view to recommending improved or alternative practices and methods which would reduce costs and improve efficiency. The group comprises senior figures from the public service, trades unions and the private sector and is chaired by Mr. Tony Barry.
A number of factors led to the present review of the Defence Forces. The report of the Commission on Remuneration and Conditions of Service in the Defence Forces — the Gleeson report — highlighted a number of shortcomings in the organisation and structure, with excessive numbers employed in non-operational tasks. Similar structural problems were again highlighted by a subsequent review of military administration by the EAG.
Arising from a changed international environment the Government adopted in September 1993 a revised statement of roles for the Defence Forces which placed a greater emphasis on current operational roles as opposed to defence of the State against external aggression, hitherto the primary role. Furthermore it had been apparent for some time that the rising age profile of the Defence Forces would cause problems if it were not addressed in a co-ordinated manner.
Against a background of general acceptance that reform of the military organisation is necessary, together with a change in the overall role of the Defence Forces, it was decided to ask the EAG to conduct a review of the structure and organisation of the Defence Forces. External consultants were engaged by the EAG to conduct the detailed work of the review. To ensure that the consultants had the necessary military expertise, senior officers of the Defence Forces were involved at every stage of the selection process. The selected firm, Price Waterhouse, provided a team which included retired Major-General Lewis Makenzie, ex-UN commander in the former Yugoslavia, and other Canadian military experts. The Canadian military team was accepted by the Irish military authorities as having the necessary and appropriate military competence to conduct the review.
Last year the Government announced its response to the report of the efficiency audit group and published a document detailing the EAG report and setting out the Government's approach to the reorganisation. The Government established an implementation group to draw up a fully costed development plan for the Defence Forces setting out the measures to be taken during the first three years of the reform process. I expect the entire process to take about ten years to complete.
The implementation group established several joint civil/military groups to undertake the detailed work involved in preparing the three year plan. This plan, with which the military authorities are in full agreement, was approved by the Government last March. It is essentially strategic in nature and sets out the parameters and objectives within which the reform of the Defence Forces will take place. It does not go into the fine detail of the new organisation or structure, nor would it be appropriate to do so at this stage.
The plan also includes a voluntary early retirement scheme for members of the Permanent Defence Force but I want to make it abundantly clear, as I have been at pains to point out on many occasions recently, that there is no question of compulsory redundancy in any section of the Defence Forces. For anyone to suggest otherwise can only be described as mischievous. Also, the financial benefits which will accrue to members of the Permanent Defence Force who avail of the voluntary early retirement scheme are in addition to the favourable superannuation arrangements which are already in place.
A booklet giving the details on voluntary early retirement was launched and distributed to all members of the Permanent Defence Force on 22 April and the first day for the receipt of applications under the new scheme was last Monday, 29 April. The indications at this early stage are that the response to the scheme is extremely favourable and I am delighted to say that the VER scheme has been well received within the Defence Forces. The proof of this is that within three days of the scheme opening over 600 applications have been received. These applications are representative of all ranks in the Permanent Defence Force.
This review is not a cost cutting exercise. It is not being carried out in order to produce a programme of cutbacks and closures. I want to repeat here what I have said on many occasions in the past, including in this House, in relation to barrack closures. There is no reference in the Government decision to barrack closures. The question of barrack closures just does not arise. It appears to be stemming from unhelpful statements made in various quarters in relation to possible barrack closures, which are not a matter for discussion, certainly not within the first three years.
I would like to deal briefly with the roles of the Naval Service and Air Corps. Over the past 20 years a growing appreciation of the value of our marine resources has coincided with a period of growth and development for the Naval Service and Air Corps. In particular, the extension of our exclusive fishery limit to 200 miles offshore marked a turning point in our appreciation of the importance of the sea as an economic asset. As a result, the Naval Service and the Air Corps have seen considerable growth and development. With the new arrangements on fishery control measures introduced this year the workload of the Naval Service and the Air Corps is increasing. Some time ago we reached agreement on the new EU fisheries surveillance package which, for the first time, includes an element of funding for operational costs for Ireland.
The continuing success of the Naval Service in fishery protection, search and rescue and their important role in dealing with pollution threats and the illegal importation of drugs has resulted in a much more widespread appreciation of the outstanding work performed by them. The Air Corps perform vitally important functions in search and rescue, air ambulance and security operations and, from time to time, assist in non-military operations such as the relief of distress in emergencies arising from natural disasters.
Recognising the diversity of tasks performed by both the Naval Service and the Air Corps, the Government decided that, as an integral part of the process of implementing the recommendations of the EAG, separate in-depth studies should be carried out on their structure and organisation. What I and the Government want at the end of this whole process is to have an organisation that is best suited for the discharge of the roles assigned to it. A key objective in the exercise is to release more personnel for operational duties. I know this is what the military personnel themselves want.
The military authorities have now taken possession of this plan and are running with it. They have seized the opportunity which has been presented to them to modernise and shape their own structure and organisation for the future. What will be achieved at the end of the exercise is a modern, efficient organisation, staffed and equipped to fulfil the roles assigned to them by Government in a manner which will provide good value for money. This objective is in the national interest; it is in the interest of the Defence Forces themselves and it is an objective which I am confident is supported by all sides of this House.
Finally, I cannot let this occasion pass without paying tribute to the heroic work the Defence Forces are carrying out in very difficult circumstances in South Lebanon. I have just returned from there where I saw at first hand how our Irish troops are contributing to the work of the UNIFIL force in trying to fulfil the mission assigned to them and also in trying to deliver humanitarian aid to those in need. Our troops are once again displaying the courage and professionalism which we know they possess. I am sure this House joins me in wishing them well in their most difficult task.