Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 20 June 2023
68. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence if he will outline his intentions regarding the acquisition of primary radar; if the Office of Government Procurement or contracts branch of the Defence Forces are actively working on such; and the process by which locations for related installations will be decided. [29858/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraI ask the Tánaiste to outline his intentions regarding the acquisition of primary radar; if matters have progressed to the extent that either the Office of Government Procurement or the contracts branch of the Defence Forces are actively working in support of this; and if the Defence Forces have begun the work of identifying suitable locations for installations.
I thank the Deputy for raising the issue. The development of a primary radar capability was one of the key recommendations made in last year's report of the Commission on the Defence Forces. Demonstrating the Government's commitment to implementing this recommendation, one of the early actions identified in the subsequent high-level action plan, published in response to the commission’s report, was to commence planning for military radar capabilities. In response to that, a project team comprising senior civil and military personnel was established, and commenced work on planning for military radar capabilities. This includes ground-based, maritime and primary radar systems.
It must be acknowledged, however, that delivery of primary radar, in particular, is extremely complex and will take some time to deliver. Nevertheless, delivery has been prioritised by Government, and this year's increased capital allocation for defence includes funding to explore the development of this capability. Work that has been carried out to date includes identification of requirements and research into various delivery options, as well as consideration of approaches internationally. This has included a visit to Cyprus to learn from our EU colleagues. However, we are not at the acquisition stage, which would be the final phase in the capability development process, and as such it is premature to speculate on any particular procurement methodology that may be utilised. Likewise, the question of where radar installations may be located is premature at this stage, but this will obviously need to be determined in the context of considering different options for delivery of the overall system. In terms of my intentions, delivery of primary radar is a key capability priority for me, as Minister and Minister for Defence, and I am determined to ensure its delivery within the earliest practicable timeframe.
The figure that is bandied about for the cost of this primary radar is €300 million. The Minister for Finance, Deputy McGrath, referenced the €176 million capital budget for the Defence Forces in budget 2023 and stated that the Government was going to prioritise the development of our primary radar capability. I understand that, as of March, an initial planning team has been established and market research and a foreign visit has taken place. Can the Tánaiste give any more information on that? I ask him to outline how he sees the process developing through the work of the planning team.
I outlined in my reply that there was a visit to Cyprus as part of the research that has been undertaken by the project team that has been established. The Deputy mentioned a figure being bandied about. We need to be careful of reporting any figure. I am a firm believer-----
I heard it in the media and I just thought that maybe------
If we are going to tender at some stage in the future, I do not want those who are tendering thinking that we have a bottom-line price-----
A starting point.
-----because they can inflate the price above that level. I will not give any figure as to what this might or might not cost because we are going to tender some stage and we want competitive tendering. I have discussed the matter with the Secretary General and the Chief of Staff of the Defence Forces. It is complex and we have to get it right. We want synergy between all three arms of our Defences Forces, including air, maritime and so forth. It is something that we are absolutely committed to doing and we are going to do it but I do not underestimate the complexity of it. It will be the most challenging and costly defence project in the history of the State. It is crucial, then, that we have thorough planning and consideration of all options. We should carry all of that work out before we speculate on a delivery date. We know from the procurement of many significant projects that proper planning in advance and doing the detailed work is necessary to make sure we get the best value and the right product and outcome that is optimal to our needs.
In the report on the high-level action plan that was published in March of this year, the recommendation regarding primary radar is accepted in principle rather than being accepted, as most of the other recommendations were. Delivering primary radar really is a prerequisite in ensuring the surveillance of Irish-controlled airspace. I have spoken to members of Air Corps. There is a worry about this. I know, as a united Irelander, that it is something that we are going to have to be able to do on our own in the event of the inevitability of a united Ireland. We are going to have to be able to patrol our own airspace. Can the Tánaiste clarify that it is his intention to acquire the primary radar? If not, what alternatives is he considering regarding the optimal approach to meeting the intent of the commission that accepting the recommendation in principle implies? I am a bit worried about the recommendation being accepted in principle, as opposed to being accepted.
I have made it very clear that we are going to do this but it is very complex work. I can confirm, as I said earlier, that the project team has been established, comprising senior civil and military personnel. It has initially focused on looking at identifying the military radar requirements across the land, air and sea domains. It has conducted research into various delivery options across the domains, as well as approaches to provision that are utilised internationally. I understand, as I said earlier, that a visit to another member state - it was Cyprus, in this case - has taken place. It is very difficult at this point in time to clarify where the radar sites are to be located. As I said, we have to have regard to emerging priorities, operational requirements and changes in technology. We have to consider all that in the first instance before getting into detailed planning on site locations. It would be very premature to speculate on that; likewise in terms of capability cost. We will also need specialist external expertise relating to all the issues that I have referenced. Any cost estimates the Deputy is reading or hearing about are totally and purely speculative. It will be an expensive capability to deliver and maintain. Obviously, we will have to go through the full rigour of the public spending code. However, there is no doubt that it is a fundamental prerequisite in terms of what we require and the level of ambition that has been identified in the commission's report and accepted.
