Written answers

Thursday, 19 July 2012

Department of Justice, Equality and Defence

Defence Forces Review

5:00 pm

Photo of Robert TroyRobert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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Question 635: To ask the Minister for Defence if he will suspend his decision to disestablish the 4th Infantry Battalion, to subsume any reorganisation in the Green Paper process and to proceed with a consultation process in an open and transparent manner and publish analysis of such findings. [36276/12]

Photo of Alan ShatterAlan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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Contrary to recent assertions, my decision to initiate a re-organisation was made following a detailed assessment of the Defence and Security environment and consideration of associated Defence Forces capability requirements, as part of the Comprehensive Review of Expenditure (CRE). This is also reflected in the Department of Defence and Defence Forces' Strategy Statement and both of these documents have been published and are available for viewing. The outcome of the CRE process outlined the resource envelope that is available for Defence in the coming years. Arising from the Comprehensive Review of Expenditure, the Government stabilised the strength ceiling of the Permanent Defence Force at 9,500 personnel. In response, I initiated a major re-organisation of the Defence Forces. It is not viable to retain a three brigade structure within a strength ceiling of 9,500 personnel. Accordingly, the re-organisation encompasses a reduction in the number of Army Brigades from the current three to two. This re-organisation is driven by the immediate realities of retaining operational effectiveness within a strength ceiling of 9,500 and an austere resource provision. This is a pressing issue that must be completed as soon as possible.

Details of the re-organisation were announced by me earlier this week and, as part of this process, the 4th Infantry Battalion will be disestablished. The projected strength levels for the 9,500 organisation will see numbers based in Collins Barracks, Cork, remain largely unchanged. I have been advised that the re-organisation will ensure the Permanent Defence Force can continue to meet all operational requirements, both at home and overseas.

Work is ongoing on the preparation of a Green Paper on Defence. When published at the end of 2012, this Green Paper will inform broad discussion about Ireland's Defence policy. This will culminate in the publication of a new White Paper on Defence at the end of 2013. This White Paper will encompass a longer time frame than that of the Strategy Statement and inform long term capability requirements for implementation over an extended timeframe.

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