Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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Question 43: To ask the Minister for Defence his plans for a White Paper on Defence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12131/11]

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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The 2000 White Paper on Defence was a central driver of the significant reform that has been pursued in the defence organisation during the past decade. There has been significant change to the defence and security environment since the publication of the White Paper, and the Defence Forces have developed and adapted to meet the changing demands. This was facilitated by a re-balancing of expenditure within the broad resource envelope that was available for defence, which allowed for necessary investment in equipment and infrastructure from the proceeds of pay savings and property sales.

The programme for Government sets out a target for fiscal consolidation in the period to 2015. In line with the programme for Government, a comprehensive review of expenditure is currently being undertaken by officials in my Department in co-operation with the military authorities. This review is critically examining how services can be delivered in the most efficient and effective manner and identifying options for the delivery of savings.

I believe there is now a requirement to prepare a new White Paper on Defence, given the ongoing changes in the defence and security environment and changes to the resource envelope available for defence. It is important that the policies we pursue are both realistic and effective. I wish to ensure that the process of developing a new White Paper provides an opportunity for an open debate about the defence and security challenges facing us over the coming years and how we should respond to these challenges. I have had preliminary discussions with officials in my Department as to the type of process that can best elicit the kind of debate that is necessary and desirable.

The current White Paper on Defence has served the defence organisation well. It will continue to provide the defence policy framework until the development of the new policy framework is complete. I look forward, as we develop a new White Paper, to the debate that will ensue about its possible content.

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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Is there a timetable for this process? As the Minister said, our Defence Forces are facing very different challenges in terms of international duties, which I am glad to see we have recommenced, and also in terms of the issue raised by Deputy O'Brien in his question, which is possibly the biggest challenge facing the Defence Forces. How does he intend to ensure we have constructive public involvement and that the challenges associated with the implementation of a White Paper will be fully met?

I acknowledge the transformation that has occurred in the Defence Forces under the previous White Paper. It is essential that we build on that transformation and challenge our Defence Forces to respond to it by giving them the most ambitious White Paper possible within the constraints that exist.

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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It is my recollection that the previous White Paper essentially emerged from the Government without substantial public debate. We do need a discussion process and we are giving thought to the different options that are available in this regard. I hope, in the not too distant future, to bring to the Government a proposal with regard to process. I expect that proposal will come to the Government before the Dáil goes into recess for the summer. Once a procedure has been adopted, we will then process matters further.

I discovered upon entering Government that despite the fact that the previous White Paper was envisaged to apply over a ten-year period, limited if any direction had been given to my departmental officials with regard to the scope or objectives of a new White Paper. That work is only now substantially commencing. As soon as the Government has agreed on the process to be applied, I will ensure the Deputy and the House are informed.