Tommy Broughan (Dublin Bay North, Independent)
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122. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence if there are plans to replace the CASA fixed-wing aircraft in the Air Corps; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38667/18]

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 Defence Forces to carry out their roles as assigned by Government.

The White Paper on Defence provides for the replacement of the two CASA 235 Maritime Patrol Aircraft with consideration of their replacement with larger more suitable aircraft, which would enhance maritime surveillance and provide a greater degree of utility for transport and cargo carrying tasks. A public tender competition for the replacement of the CASA Maritime Patrol Aircraft is underway in my Department at present, following the publication of a Request for Proposals on the Official Journal of the European Union (OJEU) in May. The cost of the aircraft will only be known once the tender competition is concluded.

The Deputy may wish to note that the White Paper also provides for the replacement of the current Air Corps Cessna fleet with three larger aircraft which will be equipped for Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition and Reconnaissance (ISTAR). Following an open tender competition, a contract was placed with Pilatus Aircraft Ltd in December 2017 at a cost of some €32 million for the provision of three PC-12 fixed wing utility aircraft suitably equipped for ISTAR tasks which will replace the Cessna fleet. It is expected that the three aircraft will be delivered by 2020.

The National Development Plan provides for a Capital allocation of €541 million for Defence for the five year period 2018-2022. This allocation 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 set out in the White Paper. The replacement of the Air Corps Cessna aircraft and the CASA 235 Maritime Patrol Aircraft are among the projects included.