Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael)
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70. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the funding allocated in budget 2018 to current and proposed Defence Forces projects and infrastructure in County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44033/17]

Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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My Department does not provide funding for the Defence Forces on a geographical basis. Where there is a requirement for the upgrade and development of a particular military installation, funding is made available from the Defence Vote.

Built infrastructure projects are developed as part of the ongoing building programme, which is designed to modernise and enhance the training, operational and accommodation facilities available to members of the Defence Forces. The capital element of the building programme focuses mainly on infrastructural projects comprising the construction of new buildings and the refurbishment of existing buildings and facilities.

The programme is based on operational requirements and is compiled on a priority basis by my Department in conjunction with the Military Authorities. The anticipated spend on built infrastructure capital projects nationally in 2018 is €14.2m. The funding will provide for a number of significant projects at the Curragh Camp, Co. Kildare including the replacement of storage facilities at the Ordnance Depot and the refurbishment of accommodation blocks in Pearse Barracks.

Under the capital building programme, there has been considerable capital investment at the Curragh Camp in recent years. Between 2008 and 2017, my Department has invested in excess of €26m on major building projects at the Camp.

The White Paper on Defence identified the need to develop a rolling five-year capital plan for the provision of future Defence Forces built infrastructure requirements, taking account of the priority needs of the Defence Forces. The process of developing the plan is currently underway and is expected to be finalised by the end of 2017.