Willie O'Dea (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)

The answer to Deputy Sherlock's question is that similar to every other EU country since the fall of the Berlin Wall, our expenditure on defence as a percentage of GDP has decreased. Nevertheless, in real terms, our expenditure on defence has increased.

To answer Deputy Andrews's question, during the past ten years we have increased expenditure in real terms by approximately 25% over the rate of inflation. I am not absolutely satisfied by the statement issued yesterday on behalf of the Southern Command. That report has not yet come to my desk. When it does I will decide what has to be done with it, and if I have any suspicion that a crime was committed I will take action and forward the report to the appropriate authorities.

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