Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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Question 84: To ask the Minister for Defence his Department's Estimate for 2010; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15621/10]

Tony Killeen (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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Like other areas of the public service, the Defence Organisation is operating on a reduced budget for 2010, the details of which are set out in the Revised Estimates Volume for 2010. The gross total allocation for Defence in 2010 is €964m, comprising €755m in the Defence Estimate and €209m in the Army Pensions Estimate.

As the numbers in the Permanent Defence Force have dropped below 10,000, recruitment will be carried out in 2010. The Defence Forces will continue to operate across all of the roles assigned by Government.

The investment in improved equipment and training made over the past few years means that the Defence Forces are in a healthy state, both in terms of personnel and equipment, to meet the challenges that lie ahead. They have improved in every respect since 2000 and comprehensive reform of structure and human resources, together with major investment in infrastructure and equipment, has been achieved during the past ten years.

In addition to savings of some €34m arising from the reductions in public service pay provided for in the Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest (No. 2) Act 2009, further payroll savings of the order of €14m will be achieved by reduced Permanent Defence Force personnel numbers, reduced civilian employee numbers and lower levels of paid training days for the Reserve Defence Force.

Reductions in the number of Permanent Defence Force personnel deployed overseas to Kosovo and Bosnia-Herzegovina will achieve savings of up to €7m, while reduced Naval Service patrol days and the optimisation of Air Corps flying hours will deliver savings of €2.2m. The implications of the decision to withdraw the Irish contingent from the United Nations Mission in the Central African Republic and Chad (MINURCAT) are being examined.

The Coiste an Asgard sail training scheme has been discontinued, resulting in a saving of €0.8m.

Provision has been made for additional Appropriations in Aid of up to €13m, mainly in respect of UN receipts, property sales, cash escorts and military guards. It is envisaged that the scheme of full recovery of costs for security services will be extended to An Post, the Central Bank and other organisations. The Central Bank has agreed to pay such costs while discussions with the other organisations have been initiated.

The 2010 capital expenditure allocation of €16m is focused on new building works to improve the accommodation and facilities of the Defence Forces.

I am satisfied that priority programmes of investment in equipment and infrastructure can be maintained within the approved allocation.