Cathal Berry (Kildare South, Independent) | Oireachtas source

Yes, for the end of the year. I know with the recent operation there was an issue with serviceability of helicopters. I know the UK is looking to sell five brand new EC135 helicopters for £4 million each. If there is money left over, there is certainly a good option out there. The current EC135s are 20 years old. If you were driving a 20-year-old car you would know about it. There is a lot of air mileage on those as well. If there is money left over, there are five EC135 helicopters available in the UK. It would certainly help from a military and diplomacy point of view too considering the changes in No. 10.

My last point is a little technical and specific. An article by Ken Foxe appeared last January. I think it was in the Irish Independent. He wrote that he had seen an exchange of correspondence between the Department of Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform and the Department of Defence in which an attempt was made to take back €32 million of the Defence Vote for 2023. This committee has not seen this exchange of correspondence.