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Dáil Éireann - Volume 514 - 17 February, 2000

Other Questions. - White Paper on Defence.

10. Mr. Gilmore asked the Minister for Defence if he has met with the nine senior officers who constitute the military management of the Defence Forces to discuss their submission on the White Paper; if so, the outcome of any such meeting; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4521/00]

14. Mr. Hayes asked the Minister for Defence the plans, if any, he has for replacement within the Naval fleet; the cost of these replacements; the proposed timescale; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4614/00]

17. Mr. Broughan asked the Minister for Defence his response to the reported statement by senior officers of the Defence Forces that if the recommendations of the White Paper are implemented, a further 11 Army barracks or posts would have to shut down; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4514/00]

18. Mr. McGrath asked the Minister for Defence the deployment of personnel he envisages and the locations as a result of his proposal to reduce the Defence Forces by 1,000; the plans, if any, he has to relocate personnel serving in various barrack locations; if he envisages any closure of barracks; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4604/00]

25. Mr. Broughan asked the Minister for [1139] Defence if his attention has been drawn to the comments made by a former Chief of Staff of the Army that the proposed cuts in the Defence White Paper would render the Army, Air Corps and Naval Service not viable; his response to the comments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4513/00]

28. Ms Fitzgerald asked the Minister for Defence the consultation, if any, he has had with the Defence Forces in the development of the White Paper; his views on the Chief of Staff's early return from East Timor due to the crisis in the Defence Forces; the reason the submission from the general military staff was ignored; the reason there was no consultation on the draft White Paper with the military leadership; the steps, if any, he will take to improve consultation with the Defence Forces Chiefs of Staff before publication of the White Paper; the reason a reduction of 1,000 personnel is called for in the White Paper; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4556/00]

30. Mr. Gilmore asked the Minister for Defence the investigation, if any, held into the leaking of the White Paper on Defence; the meetings, if any, he has had with Defence Forces personnel regarding the leaks; the outcome of any such meeting; the decisions, if any, made in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4520/00]

33. Mr. Gormley asked the Minister for Defence if he will comment on projected force levels in the Defence services. [4485/00]

34. Proinsias De Rossa asked the Minister for Defence if the Chief of Staff of the Defence Forces cut short an important visit to Irish troops abroad due to his concern regarding the implications of the White Paper for the Defence Forces; if he has met with the Chief of Staff since his return; if so, the conclusions reached at any such meeting; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4518/00]

35. Mr. Power asked the Minister for Defence when he will publish the White Paper on Defence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4491/00]

43. Mr. J. O'Keeffe asked the Minister for Defence his views on whether the role of the FCA has been virtually ignored in discussions leading to the White Paper on Defence; if he and his Department have engaged in any meaningful discussion with members of the FCA; and if be will make a statement on the matter. [4493/00]

45. Mr. Bell asked the Minister for Defence the implications of the proposals in the White Paper on Defence for participation by personnel in UN operations, Partnership for Peace mission and other overseas commitments of the Defence For[1140] ces; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4516/00]

47. Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Defence the plans, if any, he has in respect of the future strength of the Defence Forces; the plans he has envisaged for the Defence Forces regarding its role nationally and internationally; if he will assure that it is intended to maintain, develop and equip the Army, Navy and Air Corps to a standard in keeping with modem requirements; the steps, if any, he will take to end the negative speculation rampant regarding the future of the Defence Forces; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4633/00]

50. Mr. Currie asked the Minister for Defence the representations, if any, he has made to the Department of Finance for funding the re-equipment of the Air Corps and Navy; the way in which he will fund the re-equipment of these services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4600/00]

54. Mr. Belton asked the Minister for Defence his response to the military staff's view that if the White Paper is published in its current form it would seriously damage and undermine the Defence Forces. [4625/00]

57. Mr. Bradford asked the Minister for Defence the reason he ignored the submission from the military on the proposed White Paper; the reason he did not consult the general staff of the military on the draft proposals; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4623/00]

59. Mr. D. Carey asked the Minister for Defence the plans, if any, he has to curtail Ireland's contribution to international peacekeeping; the way in which current commitments will be met and others developed; and the way in which this is compatible with cuts of 1,000 personnel in the Defence Forces as envisaged in the White Paper. [4620/00]

72. Mr. Timmins asked the Minister for Defence the recent discussions, if any, he has had with the general staff with respect to the Defence Studies Group submission to the White Paper; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4494/00]

86. Mrs. T. Ahearn asked the Minister for Defence his views on the serious concerns being expressed within the Defence Forces on the proposed White Paper; if his attention has been drawn to the low morale and huge concern regarding the proposals contained therein following the leaking of the recommendations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4599/00]

91. Proinsias De Rossa asked the Minister for Defence the discussion, if any, held with the representative organisations PDFORRA and RACO regarding these organisations' submissions on the [1141] White Paper on Defence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4517/00]

120. Mr. Timmins asked the Minister for Defence if he will report on the recent meeting of his Department officials and members of the Defence Forces with respect to the forthcoming Defence White Paper; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4672/00]

Mr. M. Smith: I propose to take Questions Nos. 10, 14, 17, 18, 25, 28, 30, 33, 34, 35, 43, 45, 47, 50, 54, 57, 59, 72, 86, 91 and 120 together.

These questions are exactly similar to a priority question which I have already answered. I suggest we consider that the issues raised have been dealt with in the priority question, but I am quite happy to reply again if that is insisted upon.

Mr. Hogan: The Minister must have a clear indication regarding a potential outbreak of hostilities in Tipperary given that he recently moved the Civil Defence to Roscrea and the training unit to Clonmel. I was not aware that there was a danger of a hostile invasion of Tipperary, but there will be a political invasion in Kilkenny if the decisions recently made by the Minister to bolster troops in Tipperary have an adverse effect on the numbers employed as civilians and in the Army in Kilkenny. I am not satisfied that a recent decision regarding the amalgamation of the 3rd and 30th Battalions has been fully implemented with the necessary speed and efficiency. Has the Minister plans to ensure that Kilkenny retains its status as the headquarters of the amalgamated battalions? Are there are plans to increase the number of Army personnel serving in Kilkenny? Also, what plans are there to increase the civilian numbers, in light of the building work anticipated for Kilkenny in future?

Mr. M. Smith: There probably were some rumours that people from Kilkenny were going to come over the county boundary and cause some trouble for us. This might have led to the decision, but I do not deal primarily with security matters and do not have control over matters of intelligence.

Seriously, there is no threat to Kilkenny. I will undertake to examine the matter and request the Chief of Staff to inform me of the delays which have taken place regarding the transfers. The execution of such matters is primarily for the military. All barracks are involved in an ongoing programme of refurbishment and I know a significant investment was made in Kilkenny in recent years. However, there is obviously other work which needs to be considered and I will examine this in the context of this year's building programme.

Mr. Wall: Is it true that some Naval vessels must dock at night because of insufficient officers with watchkeeper certificates?

Mr. M. Smith: I cannot give a direct answer. I [1142] have had no direct contact about problems of that kind. We have an ongoing recruitment programme but there is also an ongoing exodus of personnel. As in so many different professions, because the economy is strong, people are taking different opportunities. I will return to the Deputy on the matter when I know the exact details.

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