Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)

On the joint procurement under SAFE, we have already opened up the contract for the supply of integrated modular body armour systems to other member states, so we are now providing opportunities for other EU countries as well. This means the work of doing more together, co-operating and playing our part in SAFE has started.

On the loan facility, if we think of a domestic household, the credit unions offer very favourable rates but if people have a load of money sitting in their own savings accounts, they do not go down to the credit union to borrow. That was the decision we made in the first instance. I want to be clear as Minister for Defence and as a coalition leader that if money is not forthcoming at the pace needed to get to LOA 2 and deliver for the men and women of Óglaigh na hÉíreann and for national security, we absolutely reserve the right, which I intend to activate, to go back and have further engagement with SAFE so we do not take ourselves off the pitch in relation to this in any manner or means. However, our collective priority was to maximise the amount we get into our own capital plan through the money we have in this country and that is where we have put our energy in the first instance. That said, I certainly do not rule out, and have had conversations about, further SAFE calls from a borrowing point of view that may happen in the future which we may well avail of.

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