Tom Hayes (Tipperary South, Fine Gael)
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Question 58: To ask the Minister for Defence the number of recommendations contained in the White Paper for Defence 2000; the number of these which have been implemented to date. [25667/05]

Willie O'Dea (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)
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The White Paper sets out a comprehensive programme for the development of defence and the Defence Forces for the period 2000 to 2010. It might be noted that the programme is expressed in terms of policy decisions taken and goals, objectives and plans and not in terms of specific recommendations.

Just past the half-way point, most of the major elements of the White Paper development programme have been implemented. These include: a rebalancing of defence resource allocation achieved through payroll savings and the sales of properties and the full reinvestment of these resources in new equipment and improved infrastructure for the Army, Naval Service and Air Corps; continuous recruitment to the Defence Forces; a continued commitment to overseas participation; the development of the Reserve Defence Force, including a new organisational structure and better clothing, equipment and training; and the decentralisation of the Civil Defence function.

Significant progress has been made also in terms of organisational change in the Department and in the Defence Forces but that work continues. It is my intention that the White Paper will be fully delivered on, within the original schedule.

The Department's strategy statement for 2005 to 2007, published in July, provides for a civil-military review of White Paper implementation to be completed by end-2006. That review will commence soon and I believe that it will assist the implementation process.