Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

-----details the terms of reference of the committee. Those terms of reference clearly require that the review be undertaken in the context of maximising the use of public resources and ensuring that, in looking to the future as to whether we should have a reserve defence force and what its functions should be, all relevant issues be examined. The terms of reference provided for the outline defence policy and strategy and the associated development plan for the RDF. That was in the public interest in the context of looking at the role of the RDF in current defence policy and strategy. It was something of public interest and important, and something to ensure that the training, for example, that the RDF gets is truly of relevance, is in the public interest and is not based on an outdated strategy that has no application in 2013, 2014, 2015.

Second, the committee was asked to identify the inputs, that is, the level and trend of costs and staffing resources associated with the RDF, including PDF and Department of Defence staffing resources. That is relevant because, as Deputy Ó Cuív will be aware, we are spending a substantially greater sum in this State by way of public expenditure.