Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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289. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence if he is satisfied with the availability of equipment such as military hardware throughout all branches of the Defence Forces, with particular reference to meeting needs arising from modern challenges; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23433/17]

Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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My priority as Minister with Responsibility for Defence is to ensure that the operational capability of the Defence Forces is maintained to the greatest extent possible so as to enable the Army, Air Corps and Naval Service to carry out their roles as assigned by Government.

The acquisition of new equipment and equipment upgrades for the Defence Forces remains a clear focus for me, and the White Paper on Defence recognises that there are several new and or enhanced platforms to be procured. Future equipment priorities for the Army, Air Corps and Naval Service are being considered in the context of the lifetime of the White Paper on Defence as part of the capability development and equipment planning priorities planning process.

In this regard, Budget 2017 secured a capital spending allocation of €74 million, representing an increase of €7 million on the 2017 Defence allocation contained in the 2016-21 capital investment programme. This allocation will facilitate the investment necessary to ensure that the Defence Forces have the equipment and infrastructure to deliver on all their roles as set out in the White Paper.

The Army will continue to retain all-arms conventional military capabilities, and the principal aim over the period of the White Paper will be to replace and upgrade, as required, existing capabilities in order to retain a flexible response for a wide range of operational requirements both at home and overseas. There is focus on the essential force protection provided by armoured vehicles, and in this regard a maintenance and upgrade programme has commenced for the current fleet of 80 Armoured Personnel Carriers (APCs) which will seek to ensure viability of the fleet out to 2030. A small number of armoured logistical and utility vehicles are also being procured for force protection.

The White Paper provides that the Air Corps will see the Cessna fleet replaced with three larger aircraft suitably equipped for Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition and Reconnaissance tasks. The tender competition for the procurement of the three new aircraft has commenced with the recent publication of the Request for Tenders on the Etenders website and on the Official Journal of the European Union (OJEU) in accordance with national and EU procurement regulations.

The two CASA 235s Maritime Patrol Aircraft are due for replacement in 2019. The CASAs will be replaced with consideration of their replacement with larger more capable aircraft to enhance maritime surveillance and to provide a greater degree of utility for transport and cargo carrying tasks.

With regard to training aircraft, a decision was made in 2016 to replace a PC-9M aircraft which was written off following a fatal crash in 2009. The replacement PC-9M aircraft, scheduled for delivery this year from Pilatus Aircraft in Switzerland will bring the fleet up to 8 and will assist in a required increase in pilot training in the Air Corps.

The current Naval Service Ship replacement programme has already seen the replacement of three Naval Service vessels. The White Paper underpins the ongoing replacement of the Naval Service fleet. An agreement was reached in June 2016 for the provision of an additional ship for the Naval Service to be built to the same specifications as the three newest vessels. This ship is scheduled for delivery next year. Future Naval Service capabilities are being planned as part of the White Paper project planning process which will determine the Defence Organisation’s maritime capability requirements.

I am satisfied that the current provisions, together with the courses of action in the White Paper, will continue to ensure that the Defence Forces is suitably equipped, in line with international best practice, to fulfil all roles assigned by Government and to meet and deal with the needs from modern challenges.