Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy for providing me with the opportunity to do this. My immediate priority will be to ensure that the Defence Forces retain the capability to fulfil all roles assigned to them by the Government, both at home and overseas. In this context, and within the available resource envelope, decisions to replace equipment and ongoing recruitment to the Permanent Defence Force will prioritise the maintenance of required operational outputs. The preparation of the new White Paper on defence is also a key priority, with the objective of setting the policy framework for defence for the next ten years. I believe this is a critical aspect of Government policy and I am determined to ensure that the new White Paper fully addresses the defence response to future security challenges in a comprehensive way.

The White Paper process provides an opportunity to critically examine future demands and consider how we might best meet associated operational requirements. I am conscious that many of the day-to-day services delivered by the Defence Forces are cross-cutting in nature and I am determined to ensure that defence resources and expertise are leveraged to maximum effect for the benefit of the State.

I intend to conclude the White Paper on defence and I would genuinely like Opposition input. I cannot assure the Opposition that I will agree with everything, but I would like input. There is much we can do to modernise the role of the Defence Forces in terms of its interaction with Irish companies and using the Defence Forces infrastructure as a test bed for new technology and new innovation. That is already happening in places such as Haulbowline and the Curragh. We need to question existing State infrastructure that operates in partnership with the Defence Forces, and maybe we could look at more efficient structures, such as interaction between the Naval Service and the Irish Coast Guard. There is a significant debate to be had. We need to review in an ambitious way Ireland's role in peacekeeping and conflict resolution. I look forward to the debate and I assure Members that I will be an active Minister for Defence in the relatively short time I will have between now and the next election.

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