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Naval Service

Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 30 July 2020

Thursday, 30 July 2020

Ceisteanna (596, 597, 598)

John Brady

Ceist:

596. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Defence the planned capital spend on the Naval Service for the next five years;and the breakdown of same. [20157/20]

Amharc ar fhreagra

John Brady

Ceist:

597. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Defence the planned capital spend on the Army for the next five years; and the breakdown of same. [20158/20]

Amharc ar fhreagra

John Brady

Ceist:

598. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Defence the planned capital spend on the Air Corps for the next five years; and the breakdown of same. [20159/20]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

I propose to take Questions Nos. 596 to 598, inclusive, together.

Vote 36 Defence is managed through a single programme with all operational outputs delivered from a single set of forces encompassing the Army, Air Corps and Naval Service. Capital expenditure costs for the Army, Air Corps and Naval Service are not identified separately, but are included in the overall programme costs in the appropriate subheads of the Vote.

Under the National Development Plan, as part of Project Ireland 2040, the Defence Vote was allocated €541 million in capital funding for the period 2018 to 2022. To date in 2020, there has been capital expenditure of some €54 million on the Defence Vote, with indicative capital expenditure allocations of €120 million and €125 million provided for 2021 and 2022 respectively. There are not as yet any indicative budgetary allocations provided for the public capital programme in the period beyond 2022.

This level of capital funding will ensure that the operational capability of the Army, Air Corps and Naval Service is maintained to the greatest extent possible and will allow the Defence Forces to deliver on all their assigned roles, both at home and overseas.

The recently published Equipment Development Plan (EDP), which aligns with Defence White Paper objectives, provides a comprehensive list of planned Army, Air Corps and Naval Service equipment projects to be advanced over the next five years.

A number of major capital expenditure equipment projects are currently being progressed, such as:

- CASA Maritime Patrol Aircraft Replacement Programme;

- Air Corps Fixed Wing Utility Aircraft Project;

- Armoured Personnel Carrier Fleet Mid-Life Upgrade;

- Mid-Life Refit of Naval Service Vessels;

- Upgrade of Defence Forces Military Transport Fleet;

- Virtual Desktop Architecture IT Project;

The Defence Forces Built Infrastructural Programme 2020-2025, provides a blueprint for investment in Defence Forces Built Infrastructure throughout the Defence Forces over a similar five year timeframe. This level of investment will continue to increase as the Defence Forces Built Infrastructure Programme is implemented. It is projected that some €75 million will be spent over the next three years and that, over the five-year life span of the Programme, some €145 million will be invested to ensure that infrastructure is modernised in line with existing and future requirements.

This programme implements the policy approach contained in the White Paper on Defence to enhance Defence physical infrastructure and accommodation as an important component of overall defence capability.

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