Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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128. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence his Department's capital allocation in each of the years from 2018 to 2022; and the areas to which funds will be allocated in each of those years. [9516/18]

Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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The National Development Plan sets out Departmental Capital Allocations for the period 2018 – 2022. The allocation in respect of Defence is as follows:

Defence Capital Allocations 2018-2022

This capital funding will allow the Defence Organisation to undertake a programme of sustained equipment replacement and infrastructural development across the Army, Air Corps and Naval Service, as identified and prioritised in the Defence White Paper.

The following projects have been prioritised for inclusion:

- Mid-life upgrade of the Army Mowag APC armoured fleet (underway), along with investment in further force protection, transport, communications and IT systems;

- Replacement of the Air Corps Cessna Aircraft (underway);

- CASA Maritime Patrol Aircraft Replacement Programme;

- Mid-life refit of the Naval Service vessels LÉ Niamh and LÉ Roisín;

- On-going Naval vessel replacement programme;

- On-going investment in the modernisation and renewal of barrack infrastructure.

The capital allocation of €541 million for Defence for the period 2018 to 2022 in the National Development Plan emphasises the importance attached by this Government to ensuring that the Defence Forces have the capabilities necessary to deliver on all the roles assigned by Government.