David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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Question 55: To ask the Minister for Defence further to Parliamentary Question No. 10 of 21 September 2011, the further progress that has been made with the Value for Money Review of the Defence Forces; when he expects this review to be completed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38673/11]

Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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A value for money review, VFM, of the Reserve Defence Force commenced in February 2010. In the interim period the EU-IMF deal was signed. The requisite fiscal consolidation which was a part of this deal has a direct bearing on the level of resourcing available for the Defence Forces. This in turn is linked to the framing of future plans for the organisation of the Defence Forces, including the Reserve Defence Force. In response to the economic difficulties, the level of resourcing available for the Defence Forces has decreased, which has impacted the broader organisation, including the resources available for the Reserve Defence Force. There have been significant reductions in paid training and recruitment has been curtailed in line with these reductions.

The Government's comprehensive review of expenditure, CRE, was the mechanism for determining the resource envelope for the Defence Forces over the coming years. The CRE process has presented two challenges to the progression of the VFM review of the Reserve Defence Force. First, members of the team undertaking the VFM review were asked to prioritise the CRE. Second, it was not feasible to isolate proposals for the Reserve Defence Force until the resource envelope for the Defence Forces for the coming years was made known in budget 2012 following the completion of the CRE. Accordingly, while work has been ongoing, it was not feasible to identify options for the future development of the Reserve pending clarity on the broader resource envelope.

Significant challenges lie ahead within the reduced resource envelope. As part of the response to the downsizing of the PDF to 9,500 personnel, a major reorganisation of the Defence Forces, encompassing a reduction from three to two Army brigades, will be undertaken. This will also affect the Reserve Defence Force. The Chief of Staff and Secretary General are to provide detailed proposals in this regard for consideration. In effect, the work on the VFM review of the RDF has been overtaken by broader events. The VFM steering committee will now consider the way ahead in light of the reorganisation of the Defence Forces and the budgetary provision. Clearly, the future plans for the Reserve must dovetail with those for the overall defence organisation.

David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Minister of State for his comprehensive response and note his statement that the value for money review has been overtaken by budgetary and economic constraints. Could he give any indication of when the Green Paper on defence might be published? This is linked to the future of the Reserve Defence Force. In addition, can he tell us when the new role of the value for money review might be made available?

Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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I will find out when the Green Paper will be available and pass the information on to the Deputy. As the Deputy understands, when the funding envelope of the Permanent Defence Force is reduced, this must be mirrored in the Reserve Defence Force. The Deputy asked about the funding available. The envelope available to the Defence Forces for 2012 was reported in last week's budget. There will be changes; I am not able to say what they will be, but they will involve consultation with the Reserve Defence Force.

David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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I am glad there will be consultation with the Reserve Defence Force. Can the Minister of State assure the House that the future of the Reserve Defence Force will be guaranteed in some form? There were reports that it might be abolished or done away with completely. Can he assure the House this is not the case?

Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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I can assure the Deputy there are no plans to abolish the Reserve Defence Force. The proposals regarding the future development of the Reserve Defence Force arising from the value for money review and the wider reorganisation proposals for the Defence Forces as a whole will be introduced in due course. I assure the Deputy there will be consultation with everybody involved, but there are no plans to abolish the Reserve Defence Force. As the Deputy knows, the Reserve plays an important role within our community and within the Defence Forces, as many of the new recruits go on to be full-time Defence Forces personnel.

James Bannon (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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With regard to the value for money review, we must consider the whole portfolio of buildings, including the barracks that have been closed, and their value to communities, especially when they are in prime locations in the middle of towns. I see them as having a multi-functional purpose for the benefit of communities. When Longford barracks closed back in 2008, I made a commitment to the people of Longford that I would do everything in my power to ensure that an alternative use was found for the building. The town council and the county council asked the Midland Regional Authority to prepare a comprehensive feasibility study and an action group was set up.

Michael Kitt (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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The Deputy should table a separate question on that.

James Bannon (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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We came up with a multi-functional purpose for the building. I am glad the Minister has agreed to sell it to both local authorities. We cannot lose sight of the value of these structures to the community. They are mainly located in the centre of towns. I am anxious to ensure that any of the barracks that have been closed will not be sold to a developer who will sit on it for 20 years and allow the site in the centre of the town to become derelict. There should be time constraints for the development of sites.

Michael Kitt (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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It is a separate issue and the Deputy should put down a separate question.

Jonathan O'Brien (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
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With regard to the Reserve Defence Forces, will the proposed reorganisation of the Defence Forces from three to two brigades include recommendations relating to a similar reorganisation of the Reserve Defence Forces?

Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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To reply to Deputy O'Brien first, when there are changes in the Permanent Defence Force, there are generally changes within the Reserve Defence Force. No proposals have been brought forward and the Minister has not made a formal proposal on that. Realistically, however, if there are changes to the Permanent Defence Force, there will be other changes. I am not saying what the changes will be and I hope the Deputy will not say outside the Chamber that the Minister said X, Y and Z, but one must mirror the changes. I am not aware of what the changes will be but perhaps the Minister, Deputy Alan Shatter-----

Jonathan O'Brien (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
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Will it form part of the Chief of Staff's report?

Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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I presume the Minister will take that into consideration when he is making a decision.

On Deputy Bannon's point about the value for money review, I can assure him that the Minister is very aware of the important role the buildings and structures play in the community. Every alternative use will be examined and the Minister will take account of any proposal when considering the future of the closed barracks. Deputy Bannon was affected by the barrack closure in Mullingar. If there are any proposals for the Longford barracks which the Deputy might wish to bring to the Minister's attention, I am sure he will be open to considering them. All security arrangements will be fulfilled, and the barracks in Cavan, Mullingar and Clonmel will be secured by the Department and the Defence Forces in a very professional way.