Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 43: To ask the Minister for Defence if he will give details of the contracts, the companies involved and their monetary value between the Defence Forces and suppliers and procurers of military hardware and related services during the past five years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17597/11]

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

A wide range of goods and services is procured by the Department and the Defence Forces to ensure the Defence Forces can carry out their day-to-day roles at home and overseas.

Procurement for the Department of Defence and the Defence Forces is provided for under various subheads of the Defence Vote. The subheads relate to, inter alia, defensive equipment, mechanical transport, aircraft, Naval Service ships and stores, property, building and engineering, communications and information technology equipment. There are also procurement sections in the Defence Forces with responsibility for the provision of barrack service items, utilities services and a range of food-related items.

In that context I am advised a considerable amount of contracts and orders of variable values is placed for a wide range of goods and services on a weekly, monthly and yearly basis throughout the Department and the Defence Forces. As such, I regret that I am not in a position to provide the information sought by the Deputy in my reply this afternoon.

I have asked the relevant officials in my Department to collate the information required over the five-year period referred to in the question. With the agreement of the Deputy, I propose that the information should relate to substantive contracts relative to defensive equipment acquired for core military functions with a value of €125,000, exclusive of VAT. However, if there is a more specific sector of interest for which the Deputy may require information, perhaps he would let me know. I will ensure the information is sent to the Deputy at the first available opportunity.

Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I agree to limit the request to the figure mentioned by the Minister; it probably should have been mentioned in the question. What contracts of such a substantial value, if any, have been signed since his coming to office? What major contracts are on hold or due to be signed in the coming months?

Will he take heed of the proposal that there needs to be more ethical purchasing of military hardware or other related goods for the Defence Forces to ensure companies backed by governments in other countries, such as the case of Israel raised in the previous Dáil, and countries using illegal munitions such as cluster bombs and white phosphorus in wars against civilians or any war in which they have been declared illegal are boycotted, or that there is at least a refusal to deal with those companies while the government backing them is engaged in such activities?

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I answered the second portion of the Deputy's question on the previous occasion. It is interesting to see he returns to the one subject obsessively in the House.

With regard to the query he raised in respect of contracts signed in recent weeks or which may be signed, in so far as the information is available it will be included in the information forwarded to him in written form.