Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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26. To ask the Minister for Defence the reason he did not attend this year's biennial RACO conference; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52905/13]

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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Recently, I accepted the invitation extended to me by RACO's National Executive to attend their Biennial Delegate Conference (BDC), held this year in Wicklow, on the 3rd of December 2013. While I had attended the PDFORRA Annual Delegate Conference earlier this year, unfortunately, I was unable to attend the RACO BDC on this occasion as I needed to attend to other urgent business, i.e. the publication of the Smithwick Tribunal Report. I was very disappointed that I was unable to join RACO at their Conference. At very short notice I requested the Minister of State at the Department of Defence, Mr. Paul Kehoe, T.D., to deputise for me at the BDC.

Minister of State Kehoe very kindly obliged and conveyed apologies to RACO on my behalf. Regarding the RACO Biennial Delegate Conference, Minister of State Kehoe addressed delegates on a wide range of issues including the preparation of the new White Paper on Defence; the significant reorganisational reforms over the last twelve months; the participation of RACO in the Haddington Road Agreement negotiations and the broader international context in which Ireland's Defence policy sits. I am given to understand that the Delegates responded positively to Minister of State Kehoe's address and extended to him and my officials every courtesy while in attendance at Conference. The Minister of State also heard the issues and concerns of RACO, as expressed by their General Secretary in his address to Conference and these will be given careful consideration.