Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I am not quite sure what members have got from us in terms of outputs and so on. One of the frustrations we had is that the Revised Estimate that shows figures for the Department and then outputs is all on one page. If we consider what New Zealand does, it has an outputs document, which is almost like an annual White Paper in itself, in terms of outputs across defence, with a series of metrics and performance indicators. We have no problem with that because we do it anyway for our annual reports and if we could build it into a reporting mechanism that involved the committee and allowed us produce much more volume in terms of what we are trying to achieve, I would have no issue with that. For example, I see the White Paper as a policy framework that needs to be implemented over the next ten years.

We will have an annual report on the White Paper each year, and I would love to be able to be here to speak to the committee about what we are achieving, changing and improving through the implementation of the White Paper. It would be a very good performance metric and benchmark for us. We are looking to increase significantly the size of the Army Ranger Wing. We need to be questioned each year on how it is being done. We have problems with recruitment in the Reserve. This year, 179 people have joined the Reserve. We have recruitment challenges, and we should be measured and tested against what we think we can do in a 12-month period and what we actually do. A metric is already there for the Naval Service's role in fisheries protection with regard to hours at sea. It is a good metric, but this year there is a good reason as to why, knowing we have a problem, we have decided to reprioritise. This is what the Department of Defence must do. If people are dying in the Mediterranean and we have ships that can save them, I am sorry, but that is a bigger priority for me than fisheries protection, and I make no apologies for it. We have had other challenges, such as the late delivery of the LE James Joyceand an historical asbestos issue which needed to be resolved. We have had a number of problems that have had an impact, but this is a good example of a benchmark against which we can be judged. If we do not meet the benchmark I will need to produce good reasons. If we could create other metrics and measurements for other outputs for the Department of Defence we should try to do so, but they need to be relevant to what we are actually doing.