Written answers
Thursday, 16 November 2006
Department of Defence
Defence Forces Equipment
5:00 pm
Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Labour)
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Question 19: To ask the Minister for Defence the capital budget in each of the past ten years for purchasing new equipment for the Permanent Defence Forces; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38196/06]
Willie O'Dea (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)
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The acquisition of new equipment and services for the Defence Forces continues to be a key focus for me as Minister for Defence. Significant investment has taken place in recent years and I will continue the good work in that regard.
The unprecedented level of expenditure on equipment for the Army, Air Corps and Naval Service was made possible by the Government's decision that pay savings arising from the reorganization of the Defence Forces set out in the White Paper of 2000, along with proceeds from the sale of surplus properties, would be reallocated for investment in modern facilities and equipment.
Investment in new equipment for the Defence Forces and for the on-going support of that equipment, is provided for under various Subheads of the Defence Vote relating to defensive equipment, mechanical transport, aircraft, ships and naval stores, engineering, communications and Information Technology equipment etc. Details of the level of expenditure over the past 10 years in each of these areas are set out in the following tabular statement.
| Area | 2006 | 2005 | 2004 | 2003 | 2002 | 2001 | 2000 | 1999 | 1998 | 1997 |
| Defensive Equip | 40,955 | 46,498 | 37,332 | 33,046 | 41,108 | 31,162 | 29,542 | 19,036 | 12,253 | 10,808 |
| Aircraft | 39,125 | 44,237 | 55,392 | 47,305 | 38,468 | 36,938 | 19,984 | 16,717 | 14,539 | 17,211 |
| Military Transport | 11,530 | 13,244 | 11,957 | 15,803 | 11,675 | 9,739 | 11,925 | 15,632 | 12,619 | 8,897 |
| Ships | 13,330 | 12,861 | 10,835 | 10,842 | 11,097 | 20,294 | 34,764 | 20,349 | 19,722 | 14,480 |
| Buildings/Reinvestment | 17,949 | 32,983 | 29,791 | 34,911 | 51,578 | 65,313 | 29,300 | 25,085 | 20,120 | 10,746 |
| Ordnance/Clothing/Catering | 18,679 | 14,810 | 13,570 | 17,782 | 15,526 | 15,184 | 13,537 | 12,295 | 11,104 | 8,517 |
| CIT | 10,046 | 14,248 | 10,483 | 11,688 | 9,359 | 11,802 | 8,495 | 7,403 | 9,192 | 3,653 |
| Training | 3,731 | 2,271 | 3,568 | 3,651 | 4,279 | 3,793 | 3,314 | 1,677 | 1,590 | 662 |
| Medical | 4,941 | 3,091 | 3,028 | 2,998 | 2,919 | 3,108 | 1,877 | 1,828 | 1,863 | 1,859 |
| Total | 160,286 | 184,243 | 175,956 | 178,026 | 186,009 | 197,333 | 152,738 | 120,022 | 103,000 | 76,833 |
This represents an investment of more than €1.5 billion in acquiring and supporting modern equipment and services for the Defence Forces. In the same period there has been an investment of over €335 million in building and infrastructure across the Defence Forces.
All elements of the Defence Forces, the Army, Air Corps, Naval Service and the Reserve have benefited from the investment in new equipment.
The equipment issued to the Defence Forces is in keeping with the most modern requirements and the highest international standards. The ongoing investment in the Defence Forces will ensure that this remains to be the case.
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