Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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134. To ask the Minister for Defence in view of the White Paper commitment to establish a school of peace at the Curragh, the steps he will take to advance this project; if he has provided designated responsibility to identified personnel within his Department or in the Defence Forces; if he will outline a timescale for this project; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38830/15]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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The White Paper on Defence, which was published in August 2015, sets out the policy framework for the Defence Organisation for the next ten years and beyond. I have asked the Secretary General and the Chief of Staff to submit a joint implementation plan which will identify priorities, responsibilities and timescales in relation to implementing the White Paper. Work on development of the implementation plan is ongoing.

With regard to the development of a new Institute for Peace and Leadership at the Curragh, the Government has committed to evaluating and developing this concept over the coming months. It is foreseen that the new Institute would have international standing and contribute to the overall development of knowledge and experience in the areas of peace support and conflict resolution.

Initial scoping work in relation to the development of the concept for the Institute has commenced within the Defence Organisation however it is too early in the process to identify specific timescales for the establishment and roll out of the proposal.