Anthony Lawlor (Kildare North, Fine Gael)

The Army has become a modern, slim and trim fighting machine. It has been dealt budgetary cuts in recent years and the number of personnel in the Army has been reduced from 11,500 to 9,500. The Minister has made a commitment that the figure of 9,500 personnel will be maintained.

The hierarchy in the Army recognises that it is spread too thinly over the country. I asked an Army officer if he had a blank sheet and looked at the country, how many of the existing barracks would be there. He said many of them were not strategically placed and that the important thing was to locate barracks in areas in which they could be useful.

The decisions we must make are justifiable because we are living in straitened economic times. One must look at what the Army has done over the years spending wisely to modernise itself. I have total respect for the modern Army we have produced and I support the call that we make strategic decisions to maintain the figure of 9,500 personnel and ensure they have the equipment so that they can support the Government and carry out their peacekeeping duties.

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