Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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Question 187: To ask the Minister for Defence the planned military purchases for 2011. [12092/11]

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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Investment in new equipment for the Defence Forces is provided for under various Subheads of the Defence Vote relating to defensive equipment, mechanical transport, aircraft, Naval Service ships and stores, communications and Information Technology equipment. The provision for defensive equipment for 2011 will allow, inter alia, for the acquisition of a range of equipment, e.g. Chemical Detection Equipment, Body Armour, Force Protection Equipment, Rifle enhancement, Communication Equipment etc. in order to maintain the Defence Forces capabilities.

The provision for ammunition in 2011 is circa €16m. This will cover the acquisition of a range of different ammunition types necessary to maintain stocks given the training and overseas requirement throughout the year.

One of the most significant allocations provided for this year, and which will be required in the coming years, relates to the Naval Service subhead which provides for the development and provision of two new Off Shore Patrol vessels, the first of which is to be delivered in 2014.The priority this year is on maintaining the capability of the Defence Forces to deliver effective services across all of the roles assigned by Government.