Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)

I am advised that at this time the Defence Forces retain the capacity to undertake the tasks laid down by the Government both at home and overseas, as clearly evidenced by the numbers currently overseas, as detailed in response to earlier questions.

As I seem to be saying repetitively this afternoon, the Government is undertaking a comprehensive review of expenditure and my Department has submitted a report as part of that process. The report sets out in clear terms the options available to the Government with regard to defence funding. The outcome of the comprehensive review of expenditure will determine the future resource envelope available to the Department of Defence. The Deputy will appreciate that as this is an ongoing deliberative process, I am not at liberty to discuss the detail of my Department's submission at this time.

I note the Deputy's point about the wide range of roles assigned to the Defence Forces. In many states military capabilities are retained solely for national defence contingencies or overseas missions. In Ireland the Permanent Defence Force is also utilised on an ongoing basis to provide a broad range of security and other services. The outputs of the defence organisation form an integral part of a multidimensional defence, security and support framework. This framework encompasses the outputs of other organisations such as my other Department, the Department of Justice and Equality, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and An Garda Síochána. This approach maximises the utility the State accrues from the Defence Forces.

The defence organisation has a proven track record of successful reform and modernisation. For more than a decade reform has been driven internally, following a series of external reviews in the 1990s. This modernisation agenda has resulted in all elements of the defence organisation downsizing. In contrast to the general trend in the public service, defence expenditure decreased in real terms in the period from 2002. This period also saw a rebalancing of defence expenditure with investment in new equipment and infrastructure, which is of substantial importance to ensure the Defences Forces are fully able to meet all of their obligations and commitments.

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