Darren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein)
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387. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the renewal and replacement programme that is in place by his Department and the military authorities for weaponry and other military equipment in the years 2022 and 2023; and when tenders for same will be issued. [43881/21]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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My priority as Minister for Defence is to ensure that the operational capability of the Army, Air Corps and Naval Service, is maintained to the greatest extent possible so as to enable the Defence Forces to carry out their roles as assigned by Government, including overseas deployments.

The  Equipment Development Plan (EDP) published in June 2020, completed through extensive joint civil-military work, provides a comprehensive list of planned equipment projects which will be progressed over a five year period. This plan builds on the intentions set out in the White Paper in relation to equipment acquisition, modernisation and upgrades and has been developed to ensure that the Defence Forces have the major equipment platforms, ancillary equipment and force protection equipment to carry out their important roles both at home and overseas. 

I am committed to update and upgrade the Defence Forces equipment and capability, having regard to the financial envelope available.  Budget 2021 provides a Capital allocation of €131m for investment in Defence equipment and barracks infrastructure and will enable continued investment in major equipment platforms. The increased capital funding for 2021 builds on increased levels of capital expenditure totalling €392m over the years 2018 – 2020.  

The level of capital funding available 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 and builds on the significant investment programme over recent years.

My Department complies with procurement rules for the acquisition of defensive equipment for the Defence Forces. Central to those rules and procedures is the requirement to allow fair competition through the e-tenders website and the Official Journal of the European Union, where appropriate, in line with the European Union procurement Directives, including the Directive 2009/81/EC on the award of contracts in the fields of defence and security.

Details of tender competitions can be accessed on the Government's e-tenders website www.etenders.ie.  Tenders are published on an ongoing basis by my Department and the Defence Forces to meet the requirements set out in the Equipment Development Plan.