Written answers

Tuesday, 14 December 2010

Department of Defence

Departmental Expenditure

10:00 am

Photo of David StantonDavid Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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Question 380: To ask the Minister for Defence, further to page B17 of the Summary of Budget Measures 2011, if he will provide details of the number of allowances for overseas deployment to be reduced in 2011; his plans regarding overseas deployment in 2011; the savings which will accrue in 2011 as a result of this reduction; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47305/10]

Photo of Tony KilleenTony Killeen (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 380 and 383 together.

In common with all areas of the public service, the Department of Defence and the Defence Forces will operate with reduced funding for 2011. The gross allocation for Defence and Army Pensions combined in 2011 is €933m, an overall reduction of 4% on the 2010 allocation. Defence spending at €725m, including capital spending, will be down by €30m or 4% on the 2010 Estimate. The provision for Army Pensions (Vote 37) for 2011 is €208m, which is a non-discretionary expenditure.

There has been a reduction in participation in overseas peacekeeping in 2010, particularly the withdrawal from Chad and the reduction in numbers serving in Kosovo and Bosnia-Herzegovina. Ireland, however, remains open to participation in peacekeeping operations with such participation reflecting the reduced budgetary resources. The cost of overseas allowances in a given year is principally a factor of the number of personnel serving overseas and the time spent overseas. The Defence Forces retain the capacity to deploy overseas. With regard to future deployments of Defence Forces personnel to overseas missions, a number of options have been under consideration by civil and military management. I would hope to be in a position to bring forward recommendations to Government as appropriate in the near future.

Administrative efficiencies of €3m in 2011 will be achieved chiefly through reduced personnel numbers and related costs, in addition to reduced expenditure on telecommunications services. The full year yield of €21m on administrative efficiencies relates primarily to payroll savings across the Vote that will accumulate by 2014.

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