Written answers
Thursday, 11 November 2010
Department of Defence
Departmental Expenditure
6:00 pm
Lucinda Creighton (Dublin South East, Fine Gael)
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Question 310: To ask the Minister for Defence the amount of money owed to private firms by his Department. [42266/10]
Tony Killeen (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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Payment of invoices by the Department is governed by the Prompt Payment of Accounts Act 1997 and the European Communities (Late Payment in Commercial Transactions) Regulations 2002. The legislation provides for the payment of interest on valid invoices that are unpaid after 30 days from their date of receipt. In June 2009, the Government introduced a further non-statutory requirement to reduce the payment period by central departments to 15 days.
In the quarter ending September 2010 over 94% of valid invoices were paid by the Department of Defence within the 15 day timeframe and over 98% were paid within 30 days. At any given time the Department has recently-received invoices on hand which are generally processed within a few days of receipt. The number of invoices on hand at present is approximately 900, amounting to some €3m. These invoices will be processed for payment within the next 5 days.
Lucinda Creighton (Dublin South East, Fine Gael)
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Question 311: To ask the Minister for Defence the number of external reports and reviews commissioned by his Department in 2008, 2009 and to date in 2010; if he will name each report and review; if he will outline the spending on external reports and reviews in each of those years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42281/10]
Tony Killeen (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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The information requested by the Deputy is set out below.
| Year | Report |
| 2008 | Value for Money Review of Military Training Lands |
| Review of the Safety Policy at Casement Aerodrome in Baldonnel | |
| Report for the control of bracken in the Glen of Imaal | |
| Review of Medical expertise and services to the Defence Forces | |
| 2009 | Value for Money Review of Naval Service Vessel Maintenance |
| Independent review of documentation in relation to a legal action initiated by a staff member | |
| A report in respect of ORACLE licence management in the Department of Defence & Defence Forces | |
| Review of the Finance Branch of the Department of Defence | |
| Technical Review of the draft request for tender to procure a Voice Over Internet Protocol infrastructure for the Department 's new offices in Newbridge, Co Kildare | |
| Year | Report |
| 2010 | The Department commissioned Dublin City University Business School to carry out research work on behalf of the Government Task Force on Emergency Planning. The purpose of this work is to provide a template which will inform departments and agencies of the key benchmarks against which emergency responses may be reviewed in the future. |
| Value for Money Review of Military Training Lands |
The expenditure on external reports and reviews is as follows:
| Year | Expenditure |
| 2008 | €242,868 |
| 2009 | €159,051 |
| 2010 | €2,178 |
The Department is always mindful of the costs involved in commissioning reports and reviews.
Lucinda Creighton (Dublin South East, Fine Gael)
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Question 312: To ask the Minister for Defence the total capital spending allocated to his Department in 2010; the total allocated moneys spent; the allocated capital spending within his Department in 2010 for each project in tabular form; the amount allocated to each project; the amount spent to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42296/10]
Tony Killeen (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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The total capital provision in the Defence Vote for 2010 was €16.6m (including €1m capital carryover). Overall capital expenditure to date is in the order of €9.5m.
Most of the Defence capital spending allocation is used on an on-going capital building programme designed to modernise and enhance the training, operational and accommodation facilities available to the Defence Forces. This programme focuses mainly on infrastructural projects such as the refurbishment of existing buildings and the construction of new buildings where required. The programme provides for new starts and the continuation of capital building projects already underway. The amount allocated for the capital building programme in 2010 was €12.9m.
The remaining capital provision of €3.7m relates mainly to the purchase of computer equipment, licences and related items for the Department and the Defence Forces.
I will write to the Deputy with details of the projects involved as soon as possible.
Lucinda Creighton (Dublin South East, Fine Gael)
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Question 313: To ask the Minister for Defence the amount spent by his Department on public relations and advertising in the years 2008, 2009 and to date in 2010; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42309/10]
Tony Killeen (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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The table sets out the amount spent on public relations and advertising by the Department and the Defence Forces in the years 2008, 2009 and to date in 2010.
| Year | Advertising Expenditure | Public Relations Expenditure |
| 2008 | â'¬586,711 | â'¬2,091,000 |
| 2009 | â'¬138,024 | â'¬245,000 |
| 2010 | â'¬125,565 | â'¬115,000 |
I am satisfied that the above expenditure is appropriate and I remain committed to ensuring that the Department achieves value for money in relation to all forms of advertising.
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