Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Will the Minister give an outline of how these particular pay and allowances savings have been achieved? Has the number of civilian employees reduced, for instance? Have contracts been cancelled and are members of the Defence Forces undertaking roles previously undertaken by civilian workers?

Regarding the engagement of civilian medical practitioners, I read in the notes that the Department had recruited two or three additional doctors. After submitting a parliamentary question recently, I discovered there were 18 serving Defence Forces doctors plus three or four new members. I understand the complement of doctors stood at 32 at one stage. I further understand that the Department has contracts of one sort or another with in excess of 30 GP practices throughout the country. Defence Forces staff are among the healthiest and fittest in the State and the Minister referred earlier to his commitment to ensuring the people who are retained within the Defence Forces are those who are particularly fit. In that context, it strikes me as rather strange that for a complement of 9,500 personnel, we would have somewhere between 20 and 30 doctors in the Defence Forces and then need, in addition, contractual arrangements with more than 30 general practitioners throughout the country. On the other hand, I understand the need for arrangements with consultants, but will the Minister explain those arrangements? Significant savings are being achieved from civilian staff.

Are any savings envisaged in this pretty comprehensive and, I suggest, pretty expensive area of medical provision that is very important but also probably very expensive?