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

For the budget that we have committed by 2028, I insisted on picking a point in time before the war in Ukraine and before the commission reported, which was January 2022, so that we could have a reference point for what were military prices at that point in time. Where we need to be by 2028 is the equivalent of €1.5 billion in January 2022 prices, for 2028, which I think will be close to €2 billion but maybe slightly less or more. Inflation and cost increases for defence equipment are significant.

In terms of the contract terms for post-1994 sergeants, we have already resolved this issue for the vast majority but what we have not done yet is resolve the issue for sergeants, which is 17 this year and about 17 next year. That is a small number but this is an important issue. I committed to that group of people that we would resolve that issue. We are working closely with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform to do so and I will attend the PDFORRA conference tomorrow where I will talk about this issue again. We are not quite there yet but the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform is working with us on it and I hope that we will get the right income in terms of that process.

Reference was made to the closure of the Cathal Brugha Barracks. There is no decision to close Cathal Brugha Barracks.